Lok Sabha Question No. 5290 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-04-03
Subject: Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Krishna Pal Singh Yadav, Shrikant Eknath Shinde

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5290

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.04.2023

## CENTRAL SECTOR SCHEME FOR REHABILITATION OF BONDED LABOURERS

5290. DR. SUJAY RADHAKRISHNA VIKHE PATIL:

SHRI UNMESH BHAIYYASAHEB PATIL:

DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

DR. KRISHNA PAL SINGH YADAV:

PROF. RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

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

- (a)the details of the funds allocated, disbursed and spent on the Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer;
- (b)whether the Government has any data on the number of beneficiaries under  the  scheme  during  thelast  three  years,  State-wise,  if  so,  the details of the same;
- (c)the  details  on  the  number  of  house  site  and  land  allotments  to  the beneficiaries under the said scheme during the last three years; and
- (d)the details on the measures taken by the Government to address and mitigate social biases against bonded labour in the society?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (d): The  details  of  fund  allocated  and  spent  under  the  Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer during 2020 - 21 to 2022-23 are as under:

(Rs.in Crore)

| Year     |   Budget Estimate |   Expenditure |
|----------|-------------------|---------------|
| 2020-21  |                10 |          1    |
| 2021-22  |                10 |          3.52 |
| 2022-23* |                10 |          4.63 |

Contd..2/-

The details of bonded  labourers rehabilitated under the Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer, State/UTwise, during 2020 -21 to 2022-23 is as under:

| Year     | State/UT       |   Number of bonded labourers rescued/ rehabilitated |
|----------|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| 2020-21  | Assam          |                                                   1 |
| 2020-21  | Bihar          |                                                 220 |
| 2020-21  | Madhya Pradesh |                                                  34 |
| 2020-21  | Rajasthan      |                                                  49 |
| 2020-21  | West Bengal    |                                                  16 |
| 2021-22  | Bihar          |                                                 360 |
| 2021-22  | Tamil Nadu     |                                                1016 |
| 2021-22  | Rajasthan      |                                                  50 |
| 2021-22  | Chhattisgarh   |                                                 250 |
| 2022-23* | Rajasthan      |                                                  70 |
| 2022-23* | Tamil Nadu     |                                                 297 |
| 2022-23* | Uttar Pradesh  |                                                 287 |

The  Government  has  adopted  a  multi-  pronged  strategy  for abolition of bonded labourers system:

- (i)  Central  Government  enacted  the  Bonded  Labour  System  (Abolition) Act, 1976; The Act empowers Executive Magistrates to exercise powers of  Judicial  Magistrate  of  first  or  second  class  for  trial  of  offences; Vigilance  Committees  at  District  and  Sub-divisional  levels  have  been prescribed to identify and rehabilitate bonded labourers and
- (ii)  Implementation  of  Central  Sector  Scheme  for  Rehabilitation  of Bonded Labourers:
-  Under the Scheme, the Government of India provides immediate assistance amounting to Rs.30,000/for each case of rehabilitation.
-  Rehabilitation assistance to the tune of Rs.1.00 lakh, Rs.2.00 lakh and Rs.3.00 lakh are provided to rescued bonded labourers based on their category and level of exploitation on proof of bondage.
-  The Scheme also provides for financial assistance of Rs. 4.50 lakh per  district  to  the  States  for  conducting  Survey  once  in  every three  years  per  sensitive  district,  Rs.  1.50  lakh  for  evaluatory studies (maximum of five Evaluatory Studies per year) and Rs. 10 lakhs per State per annum for awareness generation.

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