National Child Labour Projects

National Child Labour Projects (NCLP)    

  This is the major scheme for the rehabilitation of child labour.  Under the scheme, Project Societies at the district level are fully funded for opening up of special school/Rehabilitation Centres for the rehabilitation of child labour. 

The special schools/Rehabilitation Centres   provide non-formal education, vocational training, supplementary nutrition, stipend etc. to children withdrawn from employment.

  The child workers identified in the survey are put in the special schools and provided the following facilities:

a)     Non-formal/formal education

b)     Skilled/craft training

c)      Supplementary nutrition @ Rs. 5/- per child per day

d)     Stipend @ Rs. 100/- per child per month

            e)   Health care facilities through a doctor appointed for a group of 20 schools.

  The NCLP Scheme started in 1988. Till 9^th Plan 100 Projects were sanctioned for covering about 2.11 lakh children in 13 States. 

    Under the Scheme 4002 schools has been sanctioned in 100 NCLPs during the Ninth Plan and it is expected to increase to 10,000 schools during the 10^th Plan. So far 4,00,200 working children have been covered under the scheme. About 3.08 lakh children have been mainstreamed into formal education system so far.

   The Scheme has been expanded to 150 districts more in the 10^th Plan, thereby covering a total of 250 districts in the country under the NCLP Scheme. On 14.1.2004, 50 new NCLPs were launched in a function held in Vigyan Bhawan.

   On the basis of census figures of 2001, another new 100 districts have been identified for setting up of NCLPs during the Tenth Plan.