This refers to Shyamal Majumdar's column "NREGS and child labour" (Human Factor, August 16). The menace of child labour still prevails in India for several reasons. Despite initiatives such as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the provision of mid-day meals, young boys especially from poor families are captured for low-end jobs because they have not been exposed to education or are no longer supervised by their elders. There are few instances where an able-bodied parent has the stamina to work and think of sending his/her children to school. In such cases, the incentives of free education and mid-day meals are sufficient. Unless a source of consumption smoothing is placed in each household, irrespective of whether they are involved in paid work or not, child labour would take time to be eliminated.
R K Arya, Faridabad
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