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           | Patna, Jan 4: A task force has been formed by the Bihar   government to abolish child labour in the state, a minister   said. "The state government has constituted a force named 'Sramik   Chetna Sainik' to help the child labourers employed in the unorganised sector,"   state Minister for Labour Resources Awadesh Narayan Singh told IANS by   phone.
 He said the task force, comprising NGOs and child welfare   department officials, will spread awareness and rescue and rehabilitate any   child found working in the state. The step aims to abolish child labour   completely from the state.
 
 In October, Labour and Employment Minister   Oscar Fernandes informed Parliament that Uttar Pradesh tops in child labour   prevention, followed by Rajasthan and Bihar. Maximum number of children in the   age group of 5-14 years were rescued and rehabilitated by the   states.
 
 According to the 2001 census, 12.7 million children in the age   group of 5-14 years were working. About 540,000 children were "main workers",   who worked for over six months, while 580,000 were "marginal workers", who   worked for less than six months.
 
 Bihar accounts for 8.9 percent of child   labour in India.
   
      
     (IANS)
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