Child Labour: a Research Study on Various Social, Economical and Medical Significances In Children |

ABSTRACT:

Child labour is in focus for last two decades as it robschildren of the chance to enhance human capital. This paper examines the Indiansituation using data from 50th, 55th and 61st rounds of NSSOSurveys. Child Workers have declined from 9.1 million in 1993 to 5.8 million in2004, declining by 0.04 percent per annum. Incidence of Child Labour is more inRural areas, higher among 10-14 years age-group, and more prominent among Boys,and quite disparate across states. Another 30 million children in 2003-04,about 13 percent of total, are ‘Nowhere Children’. Incidence of Domestic Dutiesand Nowhere Children are higher among girls. Poverty emerges to be necessarycondition thereby preparing the breeding ground but not sufficient to drive thechildren to the labour market. Lack of Educational infrastructure is found tobe very important in this respect. This includes not only the physical but alsothe human component, which is emerging to be more crucial. Poverty alleviationprogrammes must therefore be complemented by expansion of educationalinfrastructure for eradicating child labour.