Removal of child labour a hollow promise: CAG
By Our Staff Reporter
HYDERABAD, APRIL 1, 2005. Despite its claims of abolishing child labour in the State by 2004, the Government could rescue only three children from hazardous occupations despite its own survey showing that 7,769 children were occupied in hazardous industries.
Not only did abolition of child labour remain a hollow promise, the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General for the financial year 2003-04, also brings out diversion of crores of funds in child labour abolition schemes, flouting of Supreme Court guidelines as well as other irregularities.
SC diktat flouted
The report states that the Government ignored the Supreme Court directive to collect Rs. 20,000 per child from employers in hazardous occupations and processes and use that money for rehabilitating the child labourers. Only Rs. 60,000 was collected for the three children `rescued' and vernment did not respond to the CAG queries regarding this.
Of the 1.88 lakh child labourers enrolled in special schools, only 1.08 lakh or 58 per cent were successfully inducted into mainstream schools.
The report also states that there was no co-relation between incidence of child labour and the location of special schools.
The report concludes that not a single project for the elimination of child labour was rated successful on all parameters under a study done by the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute in 10 districts.
The commercial report of the CAG, relating to the State's economic organisations, has shown that faulty purchase of coal by VTPS from the Mahanadi Coal Fields has led to a loss of Rs. 21.15 crores. Cumulative revenue loss at VTPS between 1999 and 2004 due to faulty coal purchases was an astounding Rs. 426.11 crores.
Non-use of the designated grade of coal by the Kothagudem Thermal Power Station for the same period resulted in a loss of Rs.153.55 crores.
The report also pointed out losses over Rs. 150 crores by the different power companies in the State due to faulty fund management.
Courtesy:http://www.hindu.com/2005/04/02/stories/2005040204590500.htm