ALLAHABAD: For Puneet (10), Rekha (7), Smita (9) and many others, World Day against Child Labour holds no significance. They have to beg daily.

They want to study in schools but don't want to attend classes on Tuesday and Saturday as they get maximum alms on the two days. Such children especially rag-pickers admit that they are being encouraged by their parents to visit religious places to get more money through begging.

The World Day against Child Labour is observed on June 12 and the theme for this year is "No to child labour in domestic work". The officials of the labour department are initiating measures to motivate parents/guardians of children to send their wards to child labour schools for primary education.

Divya Pratap Singh, assistant labour commissioner/project manager, National Child labour Project told TOI that the labour department is running 38 schools across the district wherein around 1,601 children are getting education. He added that the department has also been carrying out drives to pick up such children from various spots and later rehabilitated and enrolled in child labour schools under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP). Singh admitted that such children are being encouraged by their parents or guardians to beg at temples, as they were able to collect a good sum of amount.

The starting facts came under notice of the officials after witnessing good strength of children at religious spots, especially on Tuesday and Saturdays.

In city, most of the children involved in begging have their own tales and reasons behind begging.

When TOI asked reason behind it, a section of children simply replied that they have been doing to earn more, so that they would be able to get some of demands fulfilled by their parents. However, few of them are keen to educate themselves and don't want to be reminded of his past.

The fact is that whenever labour department officials ask the parents over the issue of promoting begging by their children, they simply replied that their family members were not able to earn more and by begging, the little children earn some bucks.

The children begging at temples usually get Rs 150 to Rs 200. This is enough for their parents and they ask the officials to pay same amount to them, if they want their children to go the schools. No doubt, life has changed for more than 1,600 child labourers after they were enrolled in child labour schools across the district. These children were earlier spotted as domestic help, rag-pickers or even beggars across the district.

A senior official said, "After knowing these facts, we have been making efforts to counsel and convince parents and guardians to encourage their children to attend schools." He also added that parents have been urged to drive their children towards education, so that they are able to shape their future.

There are frequent drives when child labourers were rescued, rehabilitated and offered primary education in around 38 child labour schools under the NCLP (National Child Labour Project) in Shankargarh, Koraon, Meja, Karchana and Sadar (City) localities. Meanwhile, labour department officials claimed that teams have been asked to spot children begging in and around temples or other religious places and they would be further rehabilitated and offered primary education under the same scheme. Efforts are also underway to spread awareness among parents to drive their children towards education and healthy life.

Source: The Times of India, DT. June 12, 2013.