Abdul Kalam

NEW DELHI: President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on Wednesday expressed concern over the rise in the number of working children, and called for fixing periodical targets to reduce this figure.

Mr. Kalam, who was speaking at a function where he was presented with a postal stamp album on child labour, said rehabilitation should be made part of the programme to eliminate the menace.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment (Independent Charge) Oscar Fernandes presented the album that carries a set of four stamps.

The stamps were released a few days ago by the Department of Posts on the request of the Ministry of Labour and Employment for creating public awareness on the issue. Mr. Kalam said the huge network of post offices in the country could be used for developmental activities.

Mr. Fernandes told the President that his Ministry was taking several steps for elimination of child labour. The National Child Labour Project launched in 1988 to rehabilitate working children, was the single largest programme of the Ministry.

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