Lucknow, July 21 (PTI): Lack of full-time project directors, teachers and instructors, has adversely affected implementation of a law which seeks to eradicate child labour, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has said.

The CAG in its report for the year ending March 31, 2004, has said the provisions of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, could not be properly implemented for the want of skilled manpower.

It said the cases involving penalty of Rs 7.28 crore for employing child labour in hazardous industries were either withdrawn or cancelled by the state Labour Department.

The data on child labour in the state was grossly understated at 66,000 against 19.28 lakh working children, according to the 2001 census, the report said.

Out of 55,510 child workers enrolled in special schools upto March 2004, only 9,469 were mainstreamed, the CAG report said.

It said Rs 49.59 lakh earned as interest on Corpus Fund were not utilised for providing relief to the families of the children withdrawn from hazardous occupations.

The Act, besides enforcement measures, envisaged rehabilitation of children below 14 years of age.