Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 26 (HBTV): The Uttar Pradesh government has set a target to make the state free of child labour by 2027.

Unprecedented coordination has been established among the departments of Education, Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj, Home, Health, Social Welfare, Rural Development, Urban Development, and Vocational Education under the leadership of the Labour Department to achieve this goal.

To address challenges such as the lack of data and the issue of school retention among children, the government has initiated concrete and innovative measures to move towards a more empowered and prosperous society.

One of the major obstacles to eliminating child labour has been the absence of reliable data, with no comprehensive figures available since the 2011 Census. To tackle this, the Panchayati Raj Department has been tasked with collecting data on working children at the village level. This data will be shared with the Labour and Education Departments to ensure effective implementation of child labour elimination programmes. District task forces will soon be formed across all districts to expedite data collection in collaboration with panchayats.

Additionally, in collaboration with UNICEF, various departmental schemes will be compiled into a booklet containing details of schemes designed to benefit child labourers and their families. This will help ensure that government welfare initiatives reach every eligible child and household.

Another key challenge is retaining children in schools, particularly those who, despite being enrolled, do not attend regularly and fall into the category of potential child labourers. To address this, the Women Welfare Department is actively implementing schemes such as the Bal Seva Yojana, the Sponsorship Scheme, and the Child Helpline, offering both educational support and rehabilitation.

The government's Naya Savera scheme is currently under qualitative review, with its re-implementation being considered to enhance opportunities for former child labourers. To raise public awareness, a large-scale programme will be organised in Lucknow on June 12 to mark International Child Labour Prohibition Day, with the participation of NGOs, employers, and labour organisations.

This initiative, envisioned by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, reflects a unified effort across departments to build a new Uttar Pradesh. Through data-driven strategies, awareness campaigns, and rehabilitation measures, the state government is not only advancing towards the eradication of child labour but also ensuring education and a safer future for children. The campaign is expected to become a significant milestone in making the state child labour-free by 2027.

The Yogi government is also running Atal Residential Schools for the children of workers in all divisions. Additionally, efforts are underway to connect children in rural areas and those engaged in child labour with quality education through Composite Schools.

(ANI)