Mumbai: As many as 5,215 children under the age of 14, employed in various units across Maharashtra have been rescued since 2005.
According to information from the State Labour Ministry available up to September 2012, out of the 5,215 child labourers rescued in the last seven years, 3505 are from outside the state, while 1,665 are from Maharashtra.
The children were sent back to their parents after they were rescued. As many as 3,333 establishments were raided and 1947 employers were arrested.
Also, 2121 raids were conducted in all districts of the state.
The highest number of children rescued were from : Mumbai city (1228), suburbs (996), Thane (1241), Pune (169), Solapur (124), Aurangabad (174), Osmanabad (114) and Raigad (124).
Child labour is banned in Maharashtra.
Early this year, a proposal to put a complete ban on employment of children upto the age of 14 both in hazardous and non-hazardous work by amending an anti-child labour Act was cleared by the Centre.
The Union Cabinet had approved bringing amendment to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, which has penal provisions also for non compliance.
PTI
