Pointing to a rise in child labour in domestic units, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is seeking to bring households under the ambit of labour laws. India is estimated to have at least 13 million child labourers.
The problem of child labour poses a serious challenge to the government. Despite several initiatives, the magnitude of the socio-economic problem has come in the way of its eradication.
Many poor children in India work at the cost of their education, spending their lives in poverty and dejection. But according to NCPCR, most cases go unreported.
NCPCR Chief Shanta Sinha says child labour in any form has to be totally banned as it contradicts the spirit of the Right to Education Act.
As per 2001 Census figures, there are an estimated 13 million child labourers in the age-group of 5-14 years.
Employers favour child labourers as they come cheap and can be easily coerced to work extra hours. They are in huge demand, specially in the diamond industry, fireworks industry and the domestic sector which includes household units, restaurants, dhabas and brick kilns.
Though the central government has broadened the coverage of child labour laws by banning children's services as domestic workers and as workers in restaurants, dhabas, hotels, yet a lot of children across the country continue to work in such units.
