The central government launched the Beti Padhao Beti Bachao Yojana on January 22, 2015, investing thousands of crores of rupees to improve education for girls.
This initiative aims to empower them to protect themselves and contribute to the future of the country. Although both state and central governments have initiated various awareness programs to combat child labor, these efforts have largely been unsuccessful. The police seem to fear the administration and the labor force, leaving many issues unaddressed.
Tragically, innocent girls who once dreamed of soaring high with pens in their hands are now seen working in brick kilns instead. For instance, Margshira Bag from Dhatuk village, under the Dhatuk Gram Panchayat in the Patnagarh Block of Bolangir district, along with six family members and his brother, was involved in the illegal smuggling of a child to Vijnagaram in Andhra Pradesh on December 2nd last year, paying Rs 40,000 per head.
Upon discovering that Amrita’s mother was seriously ill, I alerted the brick kiln owner. However, instead of taking her to a medical center, he threatened me, saying, “Take your wife to the village and have her checked by a doctor in two or three days. If you don’t, I will report you, and I will not provide food for your little child.” It remains to be seen how quickly the Labor Department and the Child Labor Division will act to rescue the family.
