11 Dec : The Centre will ask industries to ensure that child labour has not been used "at any stage" of manufacturing and issue a "logo" to them to signify the same in their products."Industries employ children shockingly. We will ask industries to ensure that no child labour is used at any stage of manufacturing and also issue a logo to them in this regard," Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Choudhary said on Thursday.
The minister was addressing the National Convention on "Right to Education and Abolition of Child Labour" here in the national capital.She said that industry "must have a larger sense of responsibility".
"We are scheduled to hold an international round table meeting with leading manufacturing companies in this regard very soon," she informed.
Choudhary also felt the need to enact a "separate law" to prohibit "all sorts of exploitation" of children and sought "stringent punishment" to the "adult offenders".
The Minister favoured a change in the "legal framework" that prohibits child labour in the country, saying it must have a "clarity on the definition of child labour".
There should not be any difference between "hazardous and non-hazardous work" for the purpose of the implementation of the Prevention of Child Labour Act, she stressed and sought "prohibition on all sorts of child labour".
Choudhary felt that the definition of a child should include "all children up to 18 years of age" in consonance with the Juvenile Justice (Care and protection of Children) Act, underlining that the children of this age group are far more vulnerable.