E-Paper
Now, stricter penalty for hiring children
NEW DELHI: Hiring children below 14 years of age for any kind of work, other than in certain family-based work, is now a cognizable offence and will attract a jail
NEW DELHI: Hiring children below 14 years of age for any kind of work, other than in certain family-based work, is now a cognizable offence and will attract a jail term of up to two years, according to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2012, passed by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The bill, which has provisions to penalise parents too, was unanimously passed. It defines children as adolescents if they are between 14-18 years in which case they can’t be employed in any hazardous occupations. Labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya said the law was aimed at “total abolition of child labour”.
The amended l aw has steeper fines and punishment. Hiring a child can attract both a jail term and fines between Rs 20,000 and Rs 50,000 from Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000 earlier.
A child is allowed to help his or her family after school hours in fields, home-based work and attend technical institutions during vacations for learning skills.
