The state government is mulling legal provisions to curb child labour by punishing parents who push their wards towards work from a young age.

Janardan Singh Sigriwal, the labour resources minister, said on Wednesday his department is mulling strict punishment for parents who engage their children in work. The labour resources and law departments would soon hold a discussion on the matter where the law department officials would be asked to formulate a draft of the proposed law to curb child labour, he said.

Between March and May this year, Sigriwal said the department rescued 182 children from Bharatpur (Rajasthan), 85 children from Jaipur, 33 children from Amritsar and six children from Agra. All the children were sent from Bihar to work in these states.

The programme where Sigriwal spoke was organised to mark World Day Against Child Labour. The labour resources department organised it in collaboration with the non-government organisations Save the Children and Unicef.

He said: “We are mulling legal provisions to curb the menace of child labour. Many parents have made it a habit of engaging their wards in child labour so that they can earn extra money for their families, which is not justified. Not only are the parents snatching the childhood of their kids, by engaging them in work from a tender age, the children’s health is also being affected. Long hours of work on a regular basis can harm their development. This practice has to be stopped. So, we have thought to come up with a law through which we can punish parents who put their children to work from a young age.”

Ramdeo Prasad, chairperson, Bihar State Child Labour Commission, reiterated his demand of making residential schools for child labourers. He said he would also write to the chief minister.

“I have been demanding schools for them ever since I became the chairman of Bihar State Child Labour Commission (in 1999). I don’t know why no step has been taken by the government yet,” said Prasad.

Anita Sinha, deputy chairperson, Bihar State Child Labour Commission, said people have to be sensitive towards child labourers who are bereft of their constitutional rights. She asked for more awareness drives being launched to stop child labour.

Minister Sigriwal also flagged off a “Jagrukta Rath”. It will travel to different wards of Patna Municipal Corporation to raise awareness among people about child labour and its implications on the child’s development.