Bhubaneswar, October 2 (Daily Kiran) : The Odisha government has kicked off a 44-day campaign titled “Child Labor-Free Gram Panchayat” to combat child labor across the state. Launched on October 2, the initiative aims to raise awareness and eliminate the issue of child labor in Odisha.
Chief Minister Mohan Chara Majhi emphasized the campaign’s significance in a video message, describing child labor as a social evil that deprives children and adolescents of their fundamental right to education. He stated that the government is committed to making Odisha free from child labor, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.
The campaign will run for 44 days in every gram panchayat, focusing on educating the public about the detrimental effects of child labor and promoting collective efforts to eradicate it. Majhi noted, “Eliminating the evil practice of child labor is not just the responsibility of the administration; it is a collective duty for all of us.”
He highlighted that the overall development of children is crucial for achieving the goal of a prosperous Odisha. The Chief Minister urged citizens to participate in the campaign and contribute to the efforts to make Odisha free from child labor.
The last comprehensive state survey on child labor in Odisha was conducted in 1997, which identified 215,222 child laborers. Since then, the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has reported that no systematic statewide survey on child labor has taken place.
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