Under its programme to help eradicate child labour, the Labour department has come up with a unique model aimed to make adolescent household workers “skilled labourers”. From how to serve bed tea to answering the phone and operating the microwave, they will be taught to deal with all chores of a modern household.

The pilot project is to start this month. The government will train teenagers from below poverty line families as domestic helps on models released by the ITC, which owns ITC Maurya, and the Old World Hospitality Limited that runs the India Habitat Centre.

The training will be imparted at the voluntary education centres operated by the government.

The Old World model will focus on providing vocational training to children, who are employed at eateries at present, in the “food and beverages” sector.

ITC will teach them how to answer the phone and take messages, how to seat guests and offer them beverages, how to greet the employer and to “take initiative in household work”. Personal hygiene will be an integral part of the course.

Post-training, the department hopes, these helps will be able to conduct themselves properly in an interview with a prospective employer. Apart from imparting knowledge on ways to make a bed and to set a dinner table, the helps will also be trained in using electronic appliances like dishwashers, microwaves and vacuum cleaners. Besides, they will know how to administer first aid — cleaning and treating wounds, burns, heat strokes, etc. They will be particularly trained in taking care of children and the elderly.

“According to labour laws, children under the age of 14 cannot be employed legally. We will be targeting adolescents between the age groups of 14 and 18 years. Domestic workers are not considered professionals in the country and we are trying to change this mindset. Once these workers are trained they will have to be paid according to wage structures decided by us. There will be different categories of domestic helps according to the skills acquired and certification, such as ‘certificate I’ or ‘certificate II domestic help’. Their salaries will depend accordingly,” senior Labour department officials said.

They added that once this system falls in place the workers will also be entitled to off days, health insurance and other employee benefits. This pilot project will be initiated by the government in the north-west district of Delhi which has the highest number of child labourers. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 267 lakh but the Delhi government has already sanctioned Rs 300 lakh.

Drop-in shelters for rescued children will be started as part of the project. Transitional education centres, linked to MCD schools, will also educate them before they are given vocational training.

The Delhi School of Social Work will assess the project every six months.