Rs 20,000 Fine, Prosecution for Employers as Pune Cracks Down on Child Labour

Pune, 3rd February 2026: The district administration has intensified its efforts to eliminate child labour by setting up a District-Level Child Labour Action Committee focused on rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration through education. The initiative aims to permanently remove children from labour and bring them into the formal education system.

The committee will function under the chairmanship of the District Collector and District Magistrate. Senior officials from the Zilla Parishad, municipal corporations and councils, the police department, and the education, health, social welfare, tribal development, and women and child development departments, along with two representatives from NGOs, have been included as members. The Assistant Labour Commissioner will serve as the member secretary.

To strengthen coordination, subject-wise committees had earlier been formed at the divisional, district, sub-divisional and tehsil levels.

After reviewing their functioning, the administration has issued recommendations to streamline implementation under the revenue administration.

Strict action is planned against violators.

Employers found engaging child labour will face criminal prosecution, and a fine of ₹20,000 will be recovered for each child labourer. Families of children rescued from hazardous occupations will be provided financial assistance to reduce the risk of children being pushed back into work. Authorities will also closely monitor parents to ensure that children are not sent back into labour.

Alongside enforcement, the administration has stressed the need for prevention and awareness. Large-scale public awareness campaigns will be conducted to highlight the harmful impact of child labour, especially during the crucial years of a child’s physical and mental development.

After rescue, children will be provided access to nearby schools, bridge courses, additional classes and educational materials to help them rejoin the mainstream education system. To ensure focused monitoring, the labour department has directed the setting up of a dedicated child labour cell in the District Collector’s office.

The move aims to create a coordinated, strict and child-centric approach to completely eradicate child labour in the district.