Lok Sabha Question No. 3560 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-20
Subject: Bonded Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: A. Chellakumar, K. Jayakumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3560 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2021

## BONDED LABOURERS

3560. DR. A. CHELLAKUMAR: DR. K. JAYAKUMAR:

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

- (a)whether the Government has implemented a seven year strategy (201718 to 2023-24) to reduce the number of bonded labourers to 50% of the 2016 estimate;
- (b)if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  progress  made  till  date,  and  if not, the reasons therefore;
- (c)whether  the  Government  has  implemented  a  three  year  action  plan (2017-18 to 2019-20) to survey bonded labourers across States and if so, the details thereof including the progress made till date, and if not, the reasons therefore;
- (d)the details of the Year-wise budgetary allocations and funds released towards addressing the issue of bonded labour, from 2014 till date; and (e)whether the Government has a strategy to eradicate bonded labour, if so,  the  time  set  to  completely  eradicate  bonded  labour  and  the budgetary allocation made to complete this target from 2014 to date?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b): The  Government  of  India  is  fully  committed  for  complete eradication  of  bonded  labour.    There  exists  a  robust  mechanism  to address  the  issue  of  bonded  labour.  The  Bonded  labour  system  was abolished  throughout  the  country  by  an  Ordinance  in  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. Till date, 3,15,136 bonded labourers have been identified and released in the country.

- (c): As per provisions of Central Sector Scheme for rehabilitation of  bonded  labour  2016  fund  is  released  to  State  Governments  for conducting survey of bonded labourers. Details of   fund released during 2017-18 to 2019-20 is as under:

| Year    | State/UT       |   Fund Released |
|---------|----------------|-----------------|
| 2017-18 | Rajasthan      |           74.25 |
| Madhy   | Madhya Pradesh |           18    |
|         | Sikkim         |            9    |
| 2018-19 | Chhattisgarh   |           60.75 |
| 2019-20 | Tamil Nadu     |           24.75 |

(d) & (e): Standard operating procedure for identification and rescue of bonded labourers and prosecution of offender has been framed and issued to all the State Governments for strengthening the prosecution machinery.  Regular sensitization programmes and coordination 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.

The year-wise budgetary allocation and fund released is as under:

| Year    |   B.E (in lakhs) | R.E (in lakhs)   |   Fund Utilized(in lakhs) |
|---------|------------------|------------------|---------------------------|
| 2014-15 |              500 | 500              |                     95.3  |
| 2015-16 |              500 | 500              |                    221.6  |
| 2016-17 |              500 | 300              |                    260.7  |
| 2017-18 |             1000 | 812              |                    668.1  |
| 2018-19 |             1000 | 750              |                    319.25 |
| 2019-20 |              800 | 100              |                     34.75 |
| 2020-21 |             1000 | 100              |                     99.85 |
| 2021-22 |             1000 | -                |                    280.43 |

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