LAHORE, Pakistan: The Punjab Minister for Labour & HR Raja Ashfaq Sarwar said the provincial government has initiated a comprehensive five year plan to combat worst form of child labour in four districts of the province including Jhang, Layyah, Jehlum and Chakwal with the total cost of Rs. 180.832 million.
Presiding over a meeting to review the progress of the project here at his office on Monday,he urged every member of society to play his/her pivotal role to eliminate the menace of child labour from the country.
Director General Labor Welfare/Project Director Muhammad Saleem Hussain informed the meeting that in first phase of the project, Punjab Labor and Human Resource Department under its 40 months programme was imparting free primary education to more than 4200 children under the age of 14 years in its 120 Non-Formal Education Centers in cooperation with different active NGOs under public private partnership.
In second phase of the project, he added, the department would launch three months duration literacy course and skills training programme to the students of 14 to 18 years age in 40 Literacy cum Skills Training Centers of these four districts of the province.
DG said the department under this programme would distribute free of cost tool kits for trained boys and girls according to their training so that these students can earn their own living. He informed that out of 160 Literacy Cum Skilled Training Courses, more than 100 LCST courses have been completed where 2500 adolescents have been imparted skill training whereas 500 students were completing training in 20 LCST centers.
Saleem Hussain further informed that in 3rd phase of the project under Occupational Safety and Health measures 20 `Model Work Places’ were being set up in these districts where employers, employees, under training students and industrial workers are made aware of Occupational Safety at their work place through practical demonstrations and video briefings.
Raja Ashfaq Sarwar directed the concerned officers to complete the project at the earliest.
