Lok Sabha Question No. 4300 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Abolition of Bonded Labour
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Amar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4300

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

ABOLITION OF BONDED LABOUR

4300. DR. AMAR SINGH:

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

- (a)whether the Government is on track to fulfil the Ministry of Labour and Employment's commitment to total abolition of bonded labour by 2030, stated by the Ministry in 2016 and if so, the details of plans to fulfil this commitment;
- (b)the details of programmes  implemented  in  fulfillment of this commitment and progress therein, from May 2016 till date;
- (c)the details of budget allocated and utilised towards the fulfillment of this commitment from 2017 till date; and
- (d)the steps taken by the Government to tackle bonded labour, apart from the Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Scheme, 2016?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

- (a) & (b): The  Government  of  India  is  fully  committed  for  complete eradication of bonded labour. The Bonded  Labour  System  was abolished  throughout  the  country  by  an  Ordinance  with  effect  from 24.10.1975  which  was  later  replaced  by  Bonded  Labour  System (Abolition)  Act,  1976.    The  Act  provides  for  the  abolition  of  Bonded Labour  System  with  a  view  to  prevent  the  economic  and  physical exploitation of the weaker sections of the people.  Under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 identification, release and rehabilitation of freed bonded labour is the direct responsibility of the concerned State/Union Territory Governments.

In order to assist the State/UT Governments in the task of rehabilitation of identified and released bonded labourers, Central Plan Scheme was started in 1978 and the Scheme has been revised from time to time.  The Scheme was last modified in May, 2016.  As per the Scheme,  the  Central  Government  bears  100%  expenditure  and  the State  Governments  are  not  required  to  pay  any  contribution  for  the purpose of cash rehabilitation assistance, evaluation studies, surveys and  awareness  campaigns  for  bonded  labour.  The  directions  have State/UTs Governments  from  time  to  time  to  ensure  that  Survey,  Awareness Generation and Evaluatory Studies are undertaken in their States/UTs been issued by the Central Government to all the on priority basis.

Under  the  Scheme,  bonded  labour  rehabilitation  fund  is created at the district level by each State/UT with a permanent corpus of at least Rs.10 lakh at the disposal of the District Magistrate.  This fund  is  utilized  for  extending  immediate  financial  assistance  to  the released bonded labour. Immediate financial assistance upto Rs.20,000/- per rescued bonded labourer is provided by the concerned District  Magistrate  from  the  corpus  fund.    This  amount  is  fully reimbursed by the Central Government to the State/UT Governments. Further,  under  the  Scheme  rehabilitation  assistance  to  the  tune  of Rs.1.00 lakh,     Rs.2.00 lakh and Rs.3.00 lakh are provided to released bonded labourers based on their category and level of exploitation as against an amount of   Rs.20,000/- only in the earlier scheme.

In addition to the financial assistance, the beneficiaries are also entitled for the following non-cash assistance from the respective State Government:

- (i)
- (ii)
- (iii)
- (iv)
- (v)
- (vi)
- Allotment of House-site & agricultural land;
- Land development;
- Provision of low cost dwelling units;
- Animal husbandry, dairy, poultry, piggery etc.;
- Wage employment, enforcement of minimum wages etc.;
- Collection and processing of minor forest products;
- Supply  of  essential  commodities  under  targeted  public
- (vii) distribution system;
- (viii)
- Education for children; and
- (ix) Any other Welfare Scheme of State/Central Government.

## (c): The  details  of  budget  allocated  and  utilised  toward  the fulfillment this commitment from 2017 till date are as under:-

| Year    |   BE | RE         | Expenditure   |
|---------|------|------------|---------------|
| 2017-18 | 1000 | 812 787.75 |               |
| 2018-19 | 1000 | 750        | 317.45        |
| 2019-20 |  800 | 100        | 34.75         |
| 2020-21 | 1000 | 100        | 99.85         |

- (d): Regular sensitization programmes  with the field level functionaries such as District Magistrate/Superintendent of Police/Labour  Department officials  at  the  district  and  state  level  are held  under  the  aegis  of  National  Human  Rights  Commission,  State Human Rights Commissions along-with participation of NonGovernment Organizations and other stakeholders.

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