The labour ministry has launched an IT platform PENCIL (Platform for Effective National Child Labour Project Scheme) for ensuring effective implementation of amended child labour prohibition law.
It will help in monitoring the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) which is for rehabilitation of child and adolescent labour.
The funds for the NCLP are provided by the Centre and the project is administered by district magistrates.
This platform would integrate all the state governments with the central government for effective coordination and convergence of various measures being taken for compliance of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Prevention) Act.
The enforcement of the Act would be supported by the IT platform with the mechanism for redressal of complaints, child tracking system and monitoring.
National Child Labour Project Scheme (NCLPS) started in 1988 to rehabilitate child labour.
Under the Scheme, a survey is conducted to identify target group ( child worker and adolescent working in hazardous occupations and processes in a district or a specified area); then children in the age group of 9-14 years are withdrawn from work, and put into NCLP Special Training Centres where they are provided bridge education, vocational training, mid-day meal, stipend, health care and recreation etc. with the ultimate objective of preparing them to be mainstreamed into the formal system of education.
Adolescents are withdrawn from hazardous occupations / processes to have benefited from skills training wherever required and are linked to legally permissible occupations.
The coverage of the scheme is being extended to all the districts of the country.