What is PENCIL Portal?

Union Minister for Labour & Employment informed Lok Sabha that 361 Complaints of Child Labour have been resolved via PENCIL (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) Portal (pencil.gov.in).

About PENCIL Portal

It is a separate online portal Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCIL) launched on 26 September 2017 to ensure effective enforcement of provisions of Child Labour Act and smooth implementation of National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme.

Components of PENCIL Portal: include Child Tracking System, Complaint Corner, State Government, National Child Labour Project and Convergence.

Portal connects: Central Government to State Government(s), District(s), all Project Societies and the General public.

Online complaints in regard to child labour can also be filed by anybody on Pencil Portal. Once received the complaint gets assigned to concerned Nodal Officer automatically by system for further necessary action.

Complaints Resolved: Of the 1010 complaints of child labour received on PENCIL portal, District Nodal Officers have updated status in respect of 361 complaints as resolved.

About NCLP Scheme

It is a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) under which funds are provided directly to District Project Societies headed by District Magistrate/Collector/Deputy Commissioner who in turn allocates funds to Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs)/Voluntary Agencies or others for running of Special Training Centres.

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PENCIL Portal

The Union Home Ministry launched the Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCIL) Portal at the National Conference on Child Labour organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The PENCIL is an electronic platform that aims at involving Centre, State, District, Governments, civil society and the general public in achieving the target of child labour free society.

Ministry also launched the Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the enforcement of legal framework against child labour. The SOP is aimed at creating a ready reckoner for trainers, practitioners and monitoring agencies to ensure complete prohibition of child labour and protection of adolescents from hazardous labour ultimately leading to Child Labour Free India.