Govt indifferent towards child labours: Patel

Raipur, January 14, 2010

Once again posing harsh stand towards his own ruling party, Dharsiva MLA Devji Bhai Patel on Thursday alleged that the government was indifferent towards child labours. “The government has simply rubbed its hands from taking responsibility to operate the child labour schools in the state by entrusting the baton to the Non Governmental Organisations (NGO),” he said.

Patel raised the issue of irregularities prevailed in the child labour schools of Raipur as well as other districts of the state during ‘call attention’ at Vidhan Sabha. He said anarchy prevailed in a majority of the child labour schools but neither the government nor the NGOs were interested whether the students were being taught properly and getting mid-day meals or not. He informed the House that the child labour school being operated at Raipur and Tilda Nevra were in pathetic condition and the students were not getting mid-day meals for the past one year.

“There are presently 216 child labour schools in the state among which 101 are being operated by NGOs,” added Patel.

Answering to Patel’s question, Labour Minister Chandrashekhar Sahu informed the House that the government had taken action against 22 committees after finding the charges of irregularities correct against them. These committees were operating child labour schools in different parts of the state. Sahu further informed that government would also constitute a joint inspection team that would conduct survey of child labours.