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| About Cheers |
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Mr. V. Murthy, I.A.S., District Collector,
talking with the parents of Child Labour. |
The Labor Department was taking all measures to ensure success of the integrated programme for eradication of child labour in the state said Mr.A.Rahman Khan Minister for Labor. The pilot project was being implemented in the districts of Trichy, Pudukkottai, Virudhunagar, Dharmapuri, Tuticorin, Salem, Coimbatore and Vellore he added. A comprehensive programme for their rehabilitation has been drawn up. The programme included awareness campaign, education as per a specially drawn up syllabus in special schools, giving training to the children in crafts supply of nutritious food to children, in regular schools from 5th std., onwards etc.
The Government had allotted Rs.1.23 crores for the programe so far which Rs.97 lakhs has been spent. In order to make up partially the loss of wages family of each student attending the school is given a stipend of Rs.100 per month, deposited in their mother's name in the S.B.Account said Mrs. Rani Peter Project Director, CHEERS , so far about Rs.45 lakhs has been given as stipend to the families. There children were taught the three Rs reading, writing and arithmetic in a non-formal way by songs, group activity,etc. So far as many as 554 children have been a admitted in the regular school, after they were given through coaching under the special syllabus for them. The teachers in regular schools are quite happy about their performance and ability to learn. The Hoovalur Ramamritham, scheme, launched by the Tamilnadu Chief Minister has been giving a great impression to the programme. Parents of hundreds of girls in special schools said that they were able to admit their children in regular schools, and once they passed 8th std, they will be eligible for the grant of Rs.10,000 for marriage expenses.Mr.Murthy said that of the 4,334 children identified, so far only 1,500 have been admitted in the special schools. The parents are keen that the rest of the students too are given education and want more special schools to be set up. The Labor department is ensuring that children are no longer exploited by the employers for their own narrow ends. A number of special self-help groups of women have been formed, where the mothers of the children are enrolled as members, and they are given all help to earn a decent living by getting financial assistance from the groups. It will not be out of place to mention here that few selected children are receiving computer education in one of the colleges. A short course on the elements of computer will help them, once they finish their primer III and are unable to continue with their studies. The project society aims at training them at billing in shops, hotels and data keeping in hospitals for out patients etc.
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