Times News Network

Bangalore, Jun 13: The state will initiate action against government officials if they appoint children below the age of 14 for domestic work, labour minister Iqbal Ansari said on Monday.

At a function organised to observe anti-child labour day, the minister said he would personally conduct raids in government quarters and official bungalows to check child labour.

The state, he said, was the pioneer in banning domestic child labour and its implementation has considerably reduced domestic child labourers.

"Yet we have a long way to go. I believe charity should begin at home. Before ensuring every one follows it, I want to make elected representatives set an example."

To ensure safe schooling for children, he also vowed to take action against those schools producing fake registers to the National Child Labour Project and State Child Labour Project for funding.

Pedalling for freedom: About 15 children, rehabilitated from the streets and bonded labour, travelled over 4,040 km to record the status of their counterparts across the state.

The 'history expedition', a bicycle-cum-bus journey undertaken by students of Bornfree Art School, took off on February 28.

The 27-page booklet released by the Bornfree Art School on Monday narrated the experiences of child workers and details the tortures with pictures.

Magadi model: Iqbal Ansari on Monday released a booklet on the success of the anti-child labour campaign, 'Covering for Children: Towards Elimination of Child Labour in Magadi.' and said the state will implement this model across districts.