VELLORE./DHARMAPURI: District Collector Ajay Yadav on Thursday disbursed incentives to the tune of Rs 1.50 lakh to as many as 21 rescued child labourers, including 10 girls, who are pursuing higher studies. Yadav handed over cheques for Rs 6,000 each to 13 students and cheques for Rs 9,000 each to eight students. The fund was allocated by the State government as financial support for their studies for the academic year 2010-11 and 2011-12.Of the 21 rescued child labourers, four students are pursuing engineering, one is a student of nursing and the others are pursuing BSc, BBA, BCom and diploma courses in various institutions in Vellore, Kancheepuram and neighbouring districts, project officer of Child Labour Abolition Support Scheme (CLASS) M Rajapandian said.The students were rescued by the field officers and officials of labour department and enrolled in special training schools run by CLASS, a part of the National Child Labour Project of the Central government. After the completion of two to three years of bridge course in special schools, the children were enrolled in regular schools. Field officers S Senthil Kumar and K Kesavan, and teachers of the special training schools were also present on the occasion.In Dharmapuri, Collector R Lilly declared on Thursday that 104 child labourers who were rescued from hazardous environments by the National Child Labour Abolition Project (NCLP) were continuing their higher studies.While speaking at the NCLP committee meeting, Lilly said that action has been taken to promote Gobinathampatti, Sellampatti, Sitheri, Bommidi and Koothapadi villages in the district as models for protecting children under UNICEF. According to Lilly, 1,488 children who were working in hazardous environments, were rescued and put in special schools, regular schools and colleges in the district and that as many as 118 child marriages have been stopped in the district in the past six months.
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