The State government is considering invoking the Preventive Detention Act against employers found guilty of employing child labour in their establishments, Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy said. Replying to a query during the Question Hour in the Legislative Council on Thursday, the Minister said the existing provisions against engaging child labour would enable imprisonment from three months to one year or a fine up to ₹2,000 or both. The government has decided to strictly enforce the provisions under the existing laws to ensure that children were not engaged by the employers. “We are also entering into agreements with managements incorporating clauses against engaging child labour in the respective units. Any one found violating the provisions would be sternly dealt with,” he said. The Minister said the Labour Department was conducting special drives periodically and began prosecuting the erring management. While 202 children were rescued during the drives conducted between April 1 and October 31 last year, 575 were rescued and rehabilitated during ‘Operation Muskaan-III’ conducted between January 1 and 31 this year. Children working in hazardous and dangerous conditions were being withdrawn from employment and admitted to government hostels and National Child Labour Project training centres. PMKSY funds Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao said the State government had sought the Central government’s assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana for modernising the Nizamsagar project. The government was anticipating funds to the tune of ₹100 crore from the Centre if the project was considered under the scheme. In a reply to a query, Mr. Rao said the government had revised the administrative approval granted for the project to ₹954.77 crore and 90% work was completed. “For the first time, we are able to give ayacut to all the 2.1 lakh acre land under the project where farmers went for water-intensive paddy cultivation this year.” The Minister said proposals were also being considered to link the Nizamsagar project with the SRSP floodflow canal under the Kaleswaram project. Linking with the SRSP floodflow canal would ensure that water for the entire ayacut was available even during drought months. Enhancing ex-gratia The State government is actively considering a proposal to enhance ex-gratia to toddy tappers who meet accidental deaths, from the existing ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh, Excise Minister T. Padma Rao said. Replying to a query, he admitted that licenses had not been issued to toddy tappers in some parts of the State. This was on account of pending rental dues, with the government allowing tappers to pay rent in instalments thus easing their burden.