A US government notification on proposed procedural guidelines issued in October on imported goods made using child or enforced labour has finally acted as a wake-up call for India. The ministries of commerce, labour and women & child development have got together and decided to get exporters from five child labour-sensitive sectors including apparel, handicraft, carpet, sports goods and gems & jewellery to conduct annual external social audits on child labour as per the national labour laws and rules. Export promotion councils (EPC) will also prepare a perspective plan for child labour abolition in specific areas of geographical concentration...EPCs will examine the supply chain in their industries to ensure not only exporters but sub-contractors and suppliers too conform to laws relating to child labour... [refers to Gap]