Rourkela: The absence of a dedicated programme like the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) has left a significant gap in addressing the needs of child labourers in Rourkela.
The NCLP, an important initiative to protect and educate children engaged in hazardous work, was discontinued in the Sundargarh district three years ago. Sources said the project, which aimed to rehabilitate and reintegrate children working in hazardous conditions into society through education and vocational training, had been a significant effort to safeguard the future of these vulnerable children.
Launched in 1988 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the NCLP aimed to provide education to children aged between 9 and 14 years working in hazardous conditions. The project was implemented across 312 districts in India, with a focus on offering education, vocational training, midday meals, healthcare, and stipends. By 2007, over 1.2 million children had benefited from this programme. District project committees, under the leadership of local administrations, played a vital role in the execution of the project, collaborating with non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
In Rourkela, NCLP started in 2007, and was active until 2022 when it was absorbed into the larger “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan” (Universal Education Campaign). According to reports, the abrupt closure of the project left many children who had benefited from the initiative without support. The children, especially school dropouts who had gained educational opportunities, are now deprived of the services that once improved their lives, sources added. The NCLP operated in the most vulnerable areas of Rourkela, including Bandhamunda, Gopabandhupali, Sitalpada, Malgodam, Sector-6, Pand anposh basti, among others, where it ran education centres for child workers. These centres provided informal education, vocational training, midday meals, and health services.
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Volunteers were engaged to educate children and equip them with skills. However, with the discontinuation of the NCLP, these children are once again at risk, with no viable alternatives in place to protect them, social workers said. Local social workers like Arun Parida have called for the revival of NCLP-like projects.
“I urge the government to update the earlier model and include a more comprehensive curriculum for these children, especially those at risk of criminal activity and exploitation,” he said. Gopal Chandra Mangaraj, a Child Welfare officer, said, “While the project has been discontinued, further action will be taken if new directives are issued by the Central government to address the needs of these children.” Meanwhile, despite the closure of NCLP, the struggle to combat child labour continues in Rourkela. According to reports, in 2022, eight child labourers were rescued, while in 2023 their figure stood at four. Last year, 10 of them had been rescued.
PNN
