May 13, 2021
India has nearly 18 million children living on the streets, many with no education or opportunities. With one of the largest population of homeless children in the world, incidents of children being pushed into labour or rag picking are not uncommon. With the lockdown ruining the job market and shutting schools, many children across several parts of India have been pushed into labour, rag-picking or selling scrap. Last year, the Indian Express reported about children in the village of Musahira tola in Bihar’s Badbilla who had been pushed into rag-picking after mid-day meals ended due to the pandemic.
‘Municipal Body Pulled up after Children Found Rag-picking in Chandigarh Dumping Ground’, News18