Lok Sabha Question No. 3322 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-21
Subject: Human Trafficking
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Tapir Gao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3322

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 21 ST  MARCH, 2023/ PHALGUNA 30, 1944 (SAKA)

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

3322.  SHRI TAPIR GAO:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of human trafficking cases registered in the State of Assam and North East States during the last one year along with the percentage of Indian and foreign nationals involved in the said cases;
- (b) the number of persons apprehended in this connection during the last one year;
- (c)  whether  the  India-Bangladesh  border  is  considered  a  safe  gateway  for smuggling humans in and out of the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the measures adopted by the Government to curb human trafficking in the country?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISHRA)

(a) & (b): The  National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB)  compiles  crime statistics  reported  to  it  by  the  States  and  Union  Territories  (UTs)  and publishes  the  same  in  its  annual  publication  'Crime  in  India'.  The  latest published report is of the year 2021. Details of cases reported and persons arrested under Human Trafficking in the North Eastern States including the State of Assam during the year 2021 are given below:

L.S. USQ. NO. 3322 FOR 21.03.2023

|   S. No. | State             |   Cases reported |   Persons arrested |
|----------|-------------------|------------------|--------------------|
|        1 | Arunachal Pradesh |                3 |                  5 |
|        2 | Assam             |              203 |                349 |
|        3 | Manipur           |                1 |                  7 |
|        4 | Meghalaya         |                1 |                  4 |
|        5 | Mizoram           |                0 |                  0 |
|        6 | Nagaland          |                0 |                  0 |
|        7 | Sikkim            |                0 |                  0 |
|        8 | Tripura           |                1 |                  1 |

Specific information on percentage of Indian/foreign nationals is not maintained separately.

(c) to (e): 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  'State-List'  subjects  under  the Seventh  Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India.  Therefore,  it  is  the  primary responsibility  of  respective  State  Governments  and  UT  Administrations  to take  appropriate  steps  for  preventing  and  countering  the  crime  of  human trafficking.

However,  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  (MHA)  has  been  supplementing  the efforts  of  the  States/UTs  in  this  regard  by  undertaking  various  initiatives. MHA has provided financial assistance to the tune of Rs 98.86 crores under 'Nirbhaya  Fund'  to  all  States  and  Union  Territories  (UTs),  including  the North-Eastern  States  and  Assam,  during  the  financial  years  2019-20  and 2020-21 for strengthening the existing Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and for  establishing new AHTUs covering all districts of the States/UTs. MHA

## L.S. USQ. NO. 3322 FOR 21.03.2023

provides financial assistance to States/UTs for holding 'Judicial Colloquiums' and  'State  level  conferences'  on  periodic  basis  for  sensitizing  judicial  and police officials and to make available to them updated information on latest provisions of  law  relating  to  human  trafficking.  MHA  has  also  been  issuing advisories and guidelines to the States/UTs on preventing and combating the crime of human trafficking on a regular basis. These advisories are available on  MHA's  website  at:  https://www.mha.gov.in/.  The  National  Investigation Agency Act, 2008 was amended in the year 2019 to authorise the National Investigation Agency  to investigate cases of human  trafficking under Sections 370 and 370A  of Indian Penal Code. For addressing crossborder/transnational  issues  of  human  trafficking,  bilateral  Memorandums  of Understanding  have  been  signed  with  Bangladesh,  UAE,  Cambodia  and Myanmar; and multilateral instruments on human trafficking have also been signed by India.

MHA has provided Grant-in-aid to Border Security Force (BSF) for establishing Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in international border area. BSF has established  15  AHTUs  on  Indo-Bangladesh  border.  BSF  has  taken  several steps  for  strengthening  the  safety  of  border  area  on  the  Indo-Bangladesh International Border.

## L.S. USQ. NO. 3322 FOR 21.03.2023

BSF  has  undertaken  various  steps  for  curbing  and  controlling  infiltration, human trafficking and smuggling of any contrabands for which the following specific measures have been employed:-

- (i) Detailed vulnerability mapping has been carried out along the IndoBangladesh border to strengthen surveillance.
- (ii) Advanced  Surveillance  equipments  are  used  to  strengthen  the surveillance mechanism.
- (iii) Erection of Border Fence on the International Border.
- (iv) Installation of Border Flood Lights to light up the area during hours of darkness.
- (v) Use of water crafts/boats and floating Border Outposts for domination of riverine area of International Border.
- (vi) Strengthening  of  intelligence  network  and  coordination  with  sister agencies.
- (vii) Simultaneous  co-ordinated  patrolling  is  conducted  jointly  between BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh on Indo-Bangladesh Border.

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