Largest number of working Children in Uttar Pradesh

for Ministry of Labour & Employment | Date - 13-11-2006

The largest number of working children in the country are in Uttar Pradesh.  The State has 19.27 lakh working children as per 2001 census.  Andhra Pradesh has the second largest working children population with 13.63 lakh followed by Rajasthan with 12.62 lakh and Bihar 11.17 lakh.  Other states having significant number of working children are Madhya Pradesh with 10.65 lakh, West Bengal with 8.57 lakh, Karnataka with 8.22 lakh and Maharashtra 7.64 lakh.

            13 states and UTs witnessed a decline in working children population while 18 states witnessed an increase during the period from 1991 to 2001.  The Government proposes to extend the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme  during the 11th Plan to all remaining districts having a reasonable number of working children in the hazardous occupations and processes in the age group of 5-14 years in various states and UTs.  NCLP Scheme is at present operational in 250 districts. 

            The distribution of working children according to 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001 is as follows: