Bhopal, March 26: The state of Madhya Pradesh has implemented a complete ban on child labor in hazardous industries. Strict penalties, including fines and imprisonment, will be enforced against those found employing children.
Assistant Labor Commissioner Rakhi Joshi announced that the employment of children aged 14 to 18 years in dangerous industries and processes is now entirely prohibited. Under the labor star rating system, any institution found employing child or bonded labor will receive zero points as part of a zero-tolerance policy.
All labor officials in Madhya Pradesh have been instructed accordingly. Institutions without child or bonded labor will still be encouraged to achieve labor star ratings, even if they have minor deficiencies in other areas. The labor department is actively working under the “Veda Initiative” to eradicate child labor.
Regular review meetings are held every Friday, and prosecution cases are closely monitored. Complaints received via the child helpline number 1098 (toll-free) are also continuously tracked. According to information from the Assistant Labor Commissioner’s office in Indore, the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986 stipulates fines ranging from ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 and imprisonment for six months to two years for those found guilty.
Additionally, the Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act of 1976 provides for a maximum of three years of imprisonment or fines up to ₹2,000. Under the centrally sponsored scheme for the rehabilitation of bonded laborers initiated in 2021, adult male workers can receive up to ₹1 lakh, while female workers and orphans may receive up to ₹2 lakh. Victims of physical exploitation or human trafficking can receive assistance of up to ₹3 lakh. Furthermore, a corpus fund for rehabilitation has been established in each district.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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