The Janata Dal (United) on Thursday criticized the Centre for passing the amendment to the child labour law, stating that the need of the hour in the country was to provide poverty alleviation schemes.
"The biggest disease in India is poverty. The government is continuing to make laws. But, which parent does not want to teach their children? Every parent now, whether it is a chai-wallah or a street vendor, wants their child to study and earn good money," JD (U) leader Ali Anwar said.
"But, it is a necessity for them to survive in their meagre income. It is a societal state and the government needs to facilitate jobs to eradicate poverty through schemes like MNREGA, minimum wages and
increasing their wages. Families that have been labourers for generation cannot really do much. How will they manage to survive if they do not work?" he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Centre passed the amendments to the child labour law which allows children below the age of 14 to work in 'non-hazardous' family enterprises and in the audio-visual entertainment industry, with the pre-condition that their school education should go unaffected.
