Kolkata, Nov 29 (IANS) Over five lakh additional beneficiaries will be covered under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, the Women & Child Development and the Social Welfare Minister Sashi Panja informed the Assembly on Friday.

“Till June this year, a total of 2,15,88,775 women were covered under the scheme in West Bengal. The state government has spent a total of Rs 13,523.88 crore for payments under the scheme so far. As per the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, 5,07,002 new beneficiaries will be covered under the scheme soon,” Panja said while addressing the House.

Labour Minister Malay Ghatak informed the house that child labour has been reduced to zero level in West Bengal over the last three years while explaining the concept of child labour.

“The children who are involved in the acting profession are not considered as child labourers. Similarly, the children who are involved in their family-run businesses are also not considered as child labourers,” Ghatak explained.

He said that a host of development schemes for children introduced by the state government has resulted in a sharp decline in school dropouts and reduced the level of child labour to zero.

“Regularisation of the midday meal scheme at state-run schools had also been an important factor,” Ghatak claimed.

Addressing the house he further said the Union government scheme introduced to prevent child labour in 2021 was stopped.

Courtesy Media Group: IANS