IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES, PROGRAMMES, PROJECTS FOR THE WELFARE OF CHILD LABOURERS IN INDIA: IMPACT OF COVID – 19 (Pages 12-27) by Raju Kativarapu and Y. Ashok Kumar in THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST / ISSN: 2350-1499 (Online); 2350-0751 (Print)

Many developing and newly industrialising countries like India are faced with the scourge of Child labour. The insidious growth of child labour in India results from an inadequate education system in India and from a lack of awareness among parents and society in general about the implications of the child labour in the realm of health and development. The present paper shows that there continues the employment of underage children, either uncertified or having false age certificates, in small industries and cottage industries. It throws light on the deplorable working conditions for the children in the cotton, bidi, tobacco and (mirchi) chilly industries. This paper delineates the present status of the child labourers, the causes of child labour, and constitutional safeguards for child labourers like the national and international policies and laws in defence of child labourers. It also presents various development programmes set up by the state and central Government for the uplift of child labourers and different Action-plan based Programmes for the elimination of child labour in India in the wake of Covid-19. It delves deep into the root causes of child labour and deals with how to ameliorate the economic condition of the poverty-stricken families engaging their children in hazardous works such as glass making industries, mining and fireworks, etc. Keywords: Child labour, inadequate education, parents and society, underage children, international policies, elimination of child labour, poverty-stricken families etc.