Patna: The Government of Bihar has launched a new plan to fight child and adolescent labour and protect children’s rights. The State Strategy and Action Plan for the Elimination of Child and Adolescent Labor – 2025 was unveiled on Thursday at the Pratibimb Auditorium in Niyojan Bhawan, Patna. The programme was organised by the Department of Labor Resources and the Bihar State Child Labor Commission.
The event was attended by several key officials, including Ashok Kumar, Chairman of the Bihar State Child Labor Commission, Arvind Kumar Singh, Vice Chairman, Deepak Anand, Secretary of the Labor Resources Department, Rajesh Bharti, Labor Commissioner, Vijay Kumar, Joint Labor Commissioner, and UNICEF Bihar Child Protection Specialist Banku Bihari Sarkar. The gathering discussed the objectives of the new strategy and released a report card on the progress made so far in eliminating child labour in the state.
Ashok Kumar said that children are the foundation of the nation and that child labour harms their health, education and future. He called the new strategy a milestone towards creating a child labour-free Bihar. Vice Chairman Arvind Kumar Singh said that poverty, illiteracy and inequality are the main reasons children are forced to work and that the new action plan will clearly define the responsibilities of departments to improve protection and rehabilitation for children.
Deepak Anand, Secretary of the Labor Resources Department, said that this plan is more detailed and updated than previous ones made in 2009 and 2017. It has been prepared according to the Indian Penal Code 2023 and the Bihar Child and Adolescent Labor Rules 2024. The Labor Commissioner said that for the first time, the Railways, Border Security Force, Transport Department and legal service authorities will work together under this plan to make rescue and rehabilitation more effective.
The event ended with all officials agreeing that eliminating child labour will need not only government action but also public participation. Access to education, social awareness and strong rehabilitation programmes will be important. The state government said it hopes this plan will be a big step towards making Bihar free from child labour.
