New Delhi,(thestates.news)| A recent survey, conducted by India Child Protection (ICP), found that child labour in the agarbatti industry is declining significantly in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar.
The study named ‘Fragrance of Agarbatti: A Study on Extent of Child Labour in India’s Incense Stick Manufacturing Industry’ found that 82 per cent of respondents had not witnessed any instances of child labour in the incense stick (agarbatti) manufacturing industry, while only 8 per cent of respondents said that they had witnessed child labour in this industry.
Ravi Kant, National Convenor of Just Rights for Children, said, “This finding is extremely encouraging for the country and a strong indication that India is on the right path to eliminating child labour. The steady decline in child labour across these three states reflects the effectiveness of recent policy initiatives and the commitment of the state and central governments to end this crime.
Now, we must ensure sustained efforts from all stakeholders—including government agencies, civil society, and industry leaders—to build on this momentum and achieve a child labour-free India.”
While this overall positive trend is visible across all three states, the trend showed regional variations. While in Bihar, an overwhelming 96 per cent of respondents said they had not witnessed any child labour in their neighbourhood incense stick industry; 61 per cent of Karnataka respondents had not seen any child labour in their neighbourhood factories, and 77 per cent of respondents in Andhra Pradesh said that child labour did not exist in the incense stick factories around them. India Child Protection (ICP) is a partner of Just Rights for Children (JRC) – a network of over 200 NGOs working in 416 districts for child protection and child rights. (UNI)
