Lok Sabha Question No. 2044 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-28
Subject: Child/Bonded Labour
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: MAUSAM NOOR, RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO, ARJUNLAL MEENA, SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNPURIA, RAVINDRA BABU  PANDULA, PINAKI MISRA, RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY, B.V. NAYAK, A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN, RAJU ALIAS DEVAPPA ANNA SHETTI, NEELAM SONKER, RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD, MAHEISH GIRRI

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2044

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2016 CHILD/BONDED LABOUR

## 2044. SHRIMATI MAUSAM NOOR:

SHRI RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO:

SHRI ARJUN LAL MEENA:

SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA:

DR. RAVINDRA BABU:

SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY:

SHRI B.V. NAIK:

SHRI A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN:

SHRI RAJU SHETTY:

SHRIMATI NEELAM SONKER:

PROF. RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD:

SHRI MAHEISH GIRRI:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)whether child and bonded labour is still prevalent in the country despite stringent  laws  in  force  in  this  regard  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof, State/UT-wise along with the reasons therefor;
- (b)the details of the mechanism to identify bonded labourers or child labour in the Country and the details of the extant policy and schemes in place to
- ensure that the bonded labour menace is curbed;
- (c)the total number of child and bonded labourers rescued and rehabilitated during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
- (d)whether the Government proposes to amend the existing child labourers and bonded labourers laws and if so, the details thereof and the details of the objections raised from various organisations/experts on the proposed amendments including the response of the Government thereto; and
- (e)the other measures taken by the Government for the complete eradication
- of child and bonded labour in the Country in a time-bound manner? ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a):   Child Labour is an outcome of various socio-economic problems such as  poverty,  economic  backwardness  and  illiteracy.  As  per  Census  2011, there  are  43.53  lakh  main  workers  in  the  age  group  of  5-14  years  in  the country.  The State-wise details of the main workers is given at Annexure-I.

The  cause  of  the  bonded  labour  problem  lies  in  the  social  customs and economic compulsions. The State/UT wise number of bonded labourers identified under the Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme is at Annexure-II.

- (b): Child labour survey for identification of children/ adolescents employed  in  hazardous  occupations/processes  is  the  immediate  starting point  for  launching  and  implementing  the  National  Child  Labour  Project (NCLP) Scheme.  The NCLP Societies are required to conduct two surveys in a Plan period for which an amount of Rs. 4.00 Lakh per survey per district is provided  by  Government  of  India.  The  project  societies  headed  by  District Magistrate/Collector,  are  required  to  conduct  survey  to  identify  children below 14 years employed in any occupation or process and adolescents (1418 years) employed in hazardous occupations and processes.

The  bonded  labour  system  has  been  abolished  under  the  Bonded Labour  System  (Abolition)  Act,  1976.  Government  is  implementing  the Central Sector Plan Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers.  Under the Scheme an amount of assistance Rs.4.50 lakh per district is released for survey  of  bonded  labourers.  Assistance  of  Rs.1  lakh  per  adult  male,  Rs.  2 lakh for child labour & women and Rs. 3 lakh to trans-genders, or woman or children  rescued  from  ostensible  sexual  exploitation  are  released.  The Scheme also provides for creation of District Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Fund with a permanent corpus of at least Rs. 10 lakh at the disposal of the District  Magistrate  for  extending  immediate  help  to  the  released  bonded labourers.

- (c): As  per  the  information  received  from  District  Project  Societies  the number  of  child  labourers  rescued/withdrawn  from  work,  rehabilitated  and mainstreamed  under  National  Child  Labour  Project  Scheme  during  the  last three  years,  State-wise  is  given  at  Annexure-III.  The  State-wise  number  of bonded  labour  released  and  rehabilitated  during  the  last  three  years  and current year is at Annexure-IV.
- (d): Government has enacted the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which came into force w.e.f. 1.9.2016. The Amendment Act completely prohibits the employment of children below 14 years. The amendment also prohibits the employment of adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years in hazardous occupations and processes. The amendment also provides stricter punishment for employers for violation of the Act and making the offence cognizable. The views of various organizations/experts/different stakeholders were considered and given due weightage while amending the Act.

(e): Government  is  following  a  multi-pronged  strategy  for  elimination  of child labour. It comprises of statutory and legislative measures, rehabilitation  and  universal  elementary  education  along  with  convergence with other schemes for socio economic development. Besides amendment in the  Child  Labour  (Prohibition  &  Regulation)  Act,  1986,  the  Government  is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme for rehabilitation of child labour since  1988.  For rehabilitation  of  bonded labourers  Government  has  also  revamped  the  Central  Sector  Scheme  for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer with effect from 17th May, 2016.

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## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.2044 FOR 28.11.2016 BY SHRIMATI MAUSAM NOOR & OTHERS, HON'BLE MP REGARDING CHILD/BONDED LABOUR

## State wise details of main workers in the age group of 5-14 years as per Census 2011:

| Sl. No.   | Name of State/UT        |   No. of main workers in the age group of 5-14 years |
|-----------|-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Andaman &Nicobar Island |                                                  999 |
| 2.        | Andhra Pradesh **       |                                               404851 |
| 3.        | Arunachal Pradesh       |                                                 5766 |
| 4.        | Assam                   |                                                99512 |
| 5.        | Bihar                   |                                               451590 |
| 6.        | Chandigarh U.T.         |                                                 3135 |
| 7.        | Chhattisgarh            |                                                63884 |
| 8.        | Dadra &Nagar H.         |                                                 1054 |
| 9.        | Daman &Diu U.T.         |                                                  774 |
| 10.       | Delhi U.T.              |                                                26473 |
| 11.       | Goa                     |                                                 6920 |
| 12.       | Gujarat                 |                                               250318 |
| 13.       | Haryana                 |                                                53492 |
| 14.       | Himachal Pradesh        |                                                15001 |
| 15.       | Jammu &Kashmir          |                                                25528 |
| 16.       | Jharkhand               |                                                90996 |
| 17.       | Karnataka               |                                               249432 |
| 18.       | Kerala                  |                                                21757 |
| 19.       | Lakshadweep UT          |                                                   28 |
| 20.       | Madhya Pradesh          |                                               286310 |
| 21.       | Maharashtra             |                                               496916 |
| 22.       | Manipur                 |                                                11805 |
| 23.       | Meghalaya               |                                                18839 |
| 24.       | Mizoram                 |                                                 2793 |
| 25.       | Nagaland                |                                                11062 |
| 26.       | Odisha                  |                                                92087 |
| 27.       | Puducherry U.T.         |                                                 1421 |
| 28.       | Punjab                  |                                                90353 |
| 29.       | Rajasthan               |                                               252338 |
| 30.       | Sikkim                  |                                                 2704 |
| 31.       | Tamil Nadu              |                                               151437 |
| 32.       | Tripura                 |                                                 4998 |
| 33.       | Uttar Pradesh           |                                               896301 |
| 34.       | Uttarakhand             |                                                28098 |
| 35.       | West Bengal             |                                               234275 |
|           | Total                   |                                              4353247 |

**

Including Telangana.

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.2044 FOR 28.11.2016 BY SHRIMATI MAUSAM NOOR & OTHERS, HON'BLE MP REGARDING CHILD/BONDED LABOUR

Number  of  bonded  labourers  identified  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Plan  Scheme  up  to 30.09.2016.

| Name of the State   | Number of Bonded Labourers identified   |
|---------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh      | 38,141                                  |
| Arunachal Pradesh   | 3,526                                   |
| Bihar               | 15,395                                  |
| Chhattisgarh        | 2215                                    |
| Gujarat             | 64                                      |
| Haryana             | 594                                     |
| Jharkhand           | 196                                     |
| Karnataka           | 64,600                                  |
| Kerala              | 823                                     |
| Madhya Pradesh      | 13,317                                  |
| Maharashtra         | 1,404                                   |
| Odisha              | 50,441                                  |
| Punjab              | 252                                     |
| Rajasthan           | 7713                                    |
| Tamil Nadu          | 65,573                                  |
| Uttar Pradesh       | 37,788                                  |
| Uttaranchal         | 5                                       |
| West Bengal         | 344                                     |
| TOTAL               | 3,02,391                                |

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.2044 FOR 28.11.2016 BY SHRIMATI MAUSAM NOOR & OTHERS, HON'BLE MP REGARDING CHILD/BONDED LABOUR

No.  of  children  rescued/withdrawn  from  work,  rehabilitated  and  mainstreamed  under  National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme during the last three years, State-wise:

|         |                 | No. of children Mainstreamed   | No. of children Mainstreamed   | No. of children Mainstreamed   |
|---------|-----------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Sl. No. | State           | 2013-14                        | 2014-15                        | 2015-16                        |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh# | 5715                           | 346                            | 716                            |
| 2       | Assam           | 0                              | 60                             | 9693                           |
| 3       | Bihar           | 3736                           | 14028                          | 2656                           |
| 4       | Chhattisgarh    | 8034                           | 10173                          | 0                              |
| 5       | Gujarat         | 453                            | 892                            | 0                              |
| 6       | Haryana         | 631                            | 2583                           | 0                              |
| 7       | Jammu &Kashmir  | 469                            | 0                              | 10                             |
| 8       | Jharkhand       | 1028                           | 2989                           | 3450                           |
| 9       | Karnataka       | 2391                           | 2519                           | 1984                           |
| 10      | Madhya Pradesh  | 8323                           | 7879                           | 7472                           |
| 11      | Maharashtra     | 5614                           | 3804                           | 2177                           |
| 12      | Odisha          | 6114                           | 21315                          | 1900                           |
| 13      | Punjab          | 957                            | 290                            | 880                            |
| 14      | Rajasthan       | 3585                           | 3349                           | 8476                           |
| 15      | Tamil Nadu      | 3436                           | 4492                           | 4089                           |
| 16      | Telangana       | -                              | 2691                           | 1810                           |
| 17      | Uttar Pradesh   | 7310                           | 16277                          | 0                              |
| 18      | West Bengal     | 6254                           | 22361                          | 13763                          |
| 19      | Uttarakhand     | -                              | 145                            | 0                              |
| 20      | Nagaland        | -                              | 436                            | 0                              |
|         | Total           | 64050                          | 116629                         | 59076                          |

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.2044 FOR 28.11.2016 BY SHRIMATI MAUSAM NOOR & OTHERS, HON'BLE MP REGARDING CHILD/BONDED LABOUR

The State-wise number of bonded labour released and rehabilitated during the last three years and current year is as under:

| Year    | State         |   Number of bonded labour released and rehabilitated |
|---------|---------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| 2013-14 | Odisha        |                                                   28 |
| 2013-14 | Rajasthan     |                                                  150 |
| 2013-14 | Uttar Pradesh |                                                 1800 |
| 2014-15 | Chhattisgarh  |                                                  853 |
| 2015-16 | Uttar Pradesh |                                                 2216 |
| 2016-17 | Bihar         |                                                 1792 |

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