Child labour is considered illegal in India. Even then child labour has been on the rise in many parts of the country. The government of India has made categories of hazardous jobs that should not be done by children. However, a survey done in 2021 showed that there has been an increase in child labour by 180% in Tamil Nadu as compared to the percentage of child labour a year earlier.
Not only Tamil Nadu, but many other Indian states are also battling to reduce incidences of child labour and despite all the laws and legal actions, the Indian government has not been highly successful in this regard although there has been some improvement.
That is why every citizen in India should also contribute towards these efforts for reducing the number of child labour incidences in the country.
Awareness is the key
Many parents in rural areas or from the slums are forced to make their children work to support their families. Importantly, many of them are even unaware of the fact that child labour is banned in India. Creating awareness about how child labour is bad and illegal among these people can help reduce the number of children doing labour work.
Creating income sources
More often poor financial condition is the reason why parents are forced to make their children work. Merely creating awareness is not going to solve the problem. To reduce child labour, it is necessary that their parents get employment. Creating job opportunities for their parents will surely help in improving this situation.
Free education sources
Education is the right of every child. But due to lack of finances, many times children are forced to leave their studies halfway. If free education is made available to children who are below the poverty line, they will go to school and hence will not have to work somewhere.
Awareness about law
We do know child labour is illegal in India. But we are not aware fully of all those laws and hence we do not know when the right time to action is or what exactly should be done. Every adult Indian must make himself aware of the stringent laws regarding child labour in India so that you know when to take action.
Stay in touch with NGOs
There are many charities and NGOs in India that actively work in this field. You can contribute to their fight against this illicit practice and help to reduce child labour in India.