They are supposed to be our future,but there's woe fully yhe country does for them.Even as the nation celebrated children's day with the usual fan fare the small children are employed in hazardous occupation despite the governement banning child labour 20 years ago. Fun and frolic is in store for thousands of children on children's day.However there are crores of other kids in the same country who are unaware of of this day's significance they go to bed hungry as usual, and they don't knowwhen they would get hteir next meal.

Children are the generation of hope.But how can we have any hope when the fact is different. India has the largest number of children.But we also have the dubious distinction of having the largest number of malnourished children, kids affected by aids, child labourers and one of the largest number of children out of the school.Though the country seems to be concerned about millions of child labourers no one seems to bother when it comes to hundred of minors working in tea stalls or dhabas.

Children are not forced by anyone to work.Poverty is making them work.Our children are being cenied food securty,sicial security,right to education and health and right to life.

With hunger pangs in their bellies how can we expect those children to attend school? They are forced to worked in the hazardous industries and on dhabas to earn something to end their hunger. Then how can they pay for their education. A large proportion of children are pulled out of school because they are expected to supplement the family income. They live and work in hazardous conditions and remain beyond the reach of development programmes.

The ban on child labour is a chance to debate this issue.Our governement is trying hard to uproot the social evil like child labour.The governement banned employment of children in two areas - as domestic help and in dhabas, and declared them as hazardouswork.At least72 occupations and orocesses has been declared hazardous under the child labour Act ,1986.

The governement and social lws in favour of child rights can eliminate child labour.

There is no question that tha most public intrvention to eliminate child labour has got to be the provision of free, compulsory and of good quality.