Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCIL Portal) was launched by Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India to register child labour complaints online.
The aim of PENCIL portal is to enforce the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 and amended one in 2016.
According to the Act of 1986, child means a person who has not completed 14 years of age. It defines adolescent as a person completed 14 years of age but not completed 18 years of age.
Citizens to report the instances of Child Labour on PENCIL Portal https://pencil.gov.in or by calling on Childline-1098.
Penalties
Section 3 of the Act, a person who employs a child shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend up to two years or a fine which shall not be less than twenty thousand rupees but which may extend up to fifty thousand rupees or with both.
Section 3 (A) of the Act says, whoever employs an adolescent or permits any adolescent to work shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend up to two years or with a fine which shall not be less than twenty thousand rupees but which may extend up to fifty thousand rupees, or with both.
Section 14(C) of the Act says, any child or adolescent who is rescued shall be rehabilitated in accordance of law for the time being in force.
World Day Against Child Labour
The World Day Against Child Labour is observed on 12thJune every year around the world. The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it.
