ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help the government implement the National Policy and Plan of Action to Eliminate Child Labour.

The ADB has allocated $150,000 for implementation of the plan and to share the government efforts to eradicate child labour from the country, sources said here on Thursday.

The sources said the amount would be spent to reinvigorate the implementation plan as the Bank was all set to launch its projects by mid February. “The amount would be utilized by the Bank itself to strengthen child labour unit in the labour ministry and engage consultants and experts for appropriate suggestions to effectively implement the plan,” the sources added.

The government had announced National Policy and Plan and Action to Eliminate Child Labour in May 2000 with main focus on eradicating child labour from hazardous occupations by 2005.

According to reports, the soccer industry has already been cleansed of the child labour while surgical instruments and carpet industries are government’s next targets. “The targets set in the action plan envisages to eliminate the worst form of child labour by the end of 2005,” the sources said.

They said as the government had already set up a fund to root out child and bonded labour from the country with an initial donation of Rs100 million, a better progress was also hoped to achieve the set goals with the ADB participation.

“The Bank has engaged a Karachi-based consultation firm and is also hoped to engage experts and statisticians to prepare a database for child labour elimination,” the sources added. “The services of these experts are being hired for a period of six to 18 months.”

They said the NWFP government had also prepared a strategy to withdraw children from various occupations and educate them.

“The proposals to this effect have been sent to board of directors for the Fund to eliminate child and bonded labour to seek the members’ recommendations for funds allocations to carry on the proposal,” the sources added.—APP