Lok Sabha Question No. 2327 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-01
Subject: Bonded Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Ganesan Selvam

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2327 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2022

## BONDED LABOURERS

## 2327. SHRI SELVAM G.:

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

- (a)the number of bonded labourers in backward and rural areas of the country at present, State/UT-wise and the number out of them who were released/rehabilitated under different schemes during each of the last three years and the current year, age, gender and districtwise;
- (b)whether any assistance has been provided for this purpose especially  in  backward  and  rural  zones  of  the  country  during  the said period and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (c)the  reasons  for  failure  of  the  Government  to  eradicate  bonded labour system though it has been abolished in 1975 along with the System (Abolition)  Act,  1976  during  the  last  three  years,  State/UT-wise,
- number  of FIR, registered under the Bonded  Labour particularly of Tamil Nadu; and
- (d)the other steps taken by the Government to rehabilitate the bonded labourers?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): Ministry  of  Labour  &  Employment  has  been  implementing  a Central  Sector  Scheme  for  Rehabilitation  of  Bonded  Labourers  for identification  and  rehabilitation  of  bonded  labourers.    Details  of bonded labourers who have been released / rehabilitated during last three financial years and current year (upto 30.06.2022). State, district and gender wise details are annexed at Annexure-I.

Contd..2/-

(b): The funds released to the State Governments under this Scheme for  Rehabilitation  of  Bonded  Labourers,  including  that  for  surveys during last three financial years and current year is as under:

| Year              | State/UT       |   Assistance (Rs. in lakh) |
|-------------------|----------------|----------------------------|
| 2019-20           | Karnataka      |                       5    |
|                   | Tamil Nadu     |                      29.75 |
| 2020-21           | Bihar          |                      43.65 |
|                   | Kerala         |                      15    |
|                   | West Bengal    |                      11.2  |
|                   | Gujarat        |                      12    |
|                   | Rajasthan      |                       9.8  |
|                   | Assam          |                       2    |
|                   | Madhya Pradesh |                       6.2  |
| 2021-22           | Chhattisgarh   |                      50    |
|                   | Tamil Nadu     |                     204.73 |
|                   | Bihar          |                      58    |
|                   | Telengana      |                      14.5  |
|                   | Rajasthan      |                      10    |
|                   | Uttar Pradesh  |                      16    |
| 2022-23           | Rajasthan      |                       9.4  |
| (upto 30.06.2022) | Uttar Pradesh  |                     390.2  |

(c): The  reasons  for  bonded  labour  system  are  socio-economic conditions which have been delineated in Section 2 (g) of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 as below:

- (i) In consideration of an advance obtained by him or by any of his lineal ascendants or descendants (whether or not such advance is  evidenced  by  any  document)  and  in  consideration  of  the interest, if any, due on such advance, or
- (ii) In pursuance of any customary or social obligation, or
- (iii) In pursuance of an obligation devolving on him by succession, or
- (iv) For any economic consideration received by him or by any of his lineal ascendants or descendants, or
- (v) By reason of his birth in any particular caste or community.

The State-wise number of First Information Report (FIR) registered under Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 for the calendar  year  2018  to  2020  as  per  publication  of  National  Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB), Crime in India, is annexed at Annexure-II.

- (d): The  Government  has  adopted  a  multi-  pronged  strategy  for abolition of bonded labour system:
- (i) The Constitution of India vide Article 23 prohibits forced labour; (ii) 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
- (iii)  Implementation  of  Central  Sector  Scheme  for  Rehabilitation  of Bonded  Labourers.  Under  the  Scheme,  the  Government  of  India provide financial assistance amounting to Rs.30,000/- for each case of rehabilitation. In addition to the financial assistance, the beneficiaries are also entitled for the following non-cash assistance from the respective State Government:
-  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 distribution system.
- 
- 
- Education for children.
- Any other Welfare Scheme of State/Central Govt.

**                                              ******

- public

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  2327  FOR  01.08.2022  BY  SHRI  SELVAM  G  REGARDING  BONDED LABOURERS.

State/UT-wise number of bonded labourers released/rehabilitated last three years and current year is as under:

|                | 2019-20   | 2019-20   | 2019-20   | 2019-20   | 2020-21   | 2020-21   | 2020-21   | 2020-21   | 2021-22   | 2021-22   | 2021-22   | 2021-22   | 2022-23   | 2022-23   | 2022-23   | 2022-23   |
|----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| States         | Male      | Female    | Child     | Total     | Male      | Female    | Child     | Total     | Male      | Female    | Child     | Total     | Male      | Female    | Child     | Total     |
| Assam          | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 1         | 1         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         |
| West Bengal    | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 8         | 4         | 4         | 16        | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         |
| Madhya Pradesh | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 19        | 15        | 0         | 34        | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         |
| Rajasthan      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 29        | 19        | 1         | 49        | 44        | 5         | 1         | 50        | 41        | 5         | 1         | 47        |
| Bihar          | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 135       | 84        | 1         | 220       | 138       | 103       | 49        | 290       | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         |
| Chhattisgarh   | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 160       | 84        | 6         | 250       | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         |
| Tamil Nadu     | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 422       | 374       | 220       | 1016      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         |
| Uttar Pradesh  | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 176       | 104       | 7         | 287       |
| Total          | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 191       | 122       | 7         | 320       | 764       | 566       | 276       | 1606      | 217       | 109       | 8         | 334       |
| Grand Total    | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      | 2260      |

## District-wise  details  of  the  bonded  labourer  released/rehabilitated  under  Central  Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers

| Year 2020-21   | State / Union Territories   | District        | No. of Bonded labourers released / rehabilitated   |
|----------------|-----------------------------|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| 1.             | Assam                       | Dibrugarh       | 1                                                  |
| 2.             | West Bengal                 | Medinipur       | 13                                                 |
| 2.             | West Bengal                 | Cooch Behar     | 3                                                  |
| 3..            | Madhya Pradesh              | Dewas           | 34                                                 |
| 4.             | Rajasthan                   | Bhilwara        | 49                                                 |
| 5.             | Bihar                       | Banka           | 1                                                  |
|                |                             | Gaya            | 51                                                 |
|                |                             | Jahanabad       | 53                                                 |
|                |                             | Supaul          | 48                                                 |
|                |                             | East Champaran  | 4                                                  |
|                |                             | Nawada          | 50                                                 |
|                |                             | Purnia          | 11                                                 |
|                |                             | Saharasa        | 2                                                  |
| 2021-22        |                             |                 |                                                    |
| 1              | Rajasthan                   | Sriganganagar   | 50                                                 |
| 2              | Chhattisgarh                | Janjgir-champa, | 50                                                 |
|                |                             | Bilaspur        | 120                                                |
|                |                             | Bastar          | 17                                                 |
|                |                             | Mungeli         | 5                                                  |
|                |                             | Gariband        | 50                                                 |
|                |                             | Baloda bazar    | 6                                                  |

|         |               | Dhamtari        | 2   |
|---------|---------------|-----------------|-----|
| 3.      | Tamilnadu     | ERODE,          | 97  |
|         |               | Thiruvannamalia | 53  |
|         |               | Kancheepuram    | 135 |
|         |               | Salem           | 31  |
|         |               | Thanjavur       | 55  |
|         |               | PudukkottaI     | 40  |
|         |               | Vellore         | 105 |
|         |               | Theni           | 1   |
|         |               | Namakkal        | 42  |
|         |               | KrishnagirI     | 10  |
|         |               | Dharamapuri     | 2   |
|         |               | Thiruvallur     | 210 |
|         |               | Shivagangai     | 2   |
|         |               | Ramanathapuram  | 2   |
|         |               | Coimbatore      | 2   |
|         |               | Cuddalore       | 48  |
|         |               | Madurai         | 2   |
|         |               | Dingigul        | 5   |
|         |               | Thiruvarur      | 22  |
|         |               | Trichy          | 10  |
|         |               | Tiruppur        | 4   |
|         |               | Villupuram      | 12  |
|         |               | Chennai         | 85  |
|         |               | Karur           | 17  |
|         |               | Perambalur      | 10  |
|         |               | Tirunelveli     | 14  |
| 4.      | Bihar         | Gaya            | 147 |
|         |               | Nawada          | 97  |
|         |               | Purnia          | 4   |
|         |               | Khagaria        | 1   |
|         |               | Supaul          | 4   |
|         |               | Katihar         | 27  |
|         |               | Rohtas          | 1   |
|         |               | East Champaran  | 4   |
|         |               | Muzaffarpur     | 5   |
| 2022-23 |               |                 |     |
| 1.      | Rajasthan     | Jaipur          | 47  |
| 2.      | Uttar Pradesh | Sahranpur       | 27  |
|         |               | Bulandshahar    | 4   |
|         |               | Kaasganj        | 3   |
|         |               | Aligarh         | 38  |
|         |               | Jaunpur         | 3   |
|         |               | Agra            | 1   |
|         |               | Meerut          | 1   |
|         |               | Muzaffarnagar   | 69  |
|         |               | Shamli          | 64  |
|         |               | Bagpat          | 77  |

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  2327  FOR  01.08.2022  BY  SHRI  SELVAM  G  REGARDING  BONDED LABOURERS.

FIR registered under Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 during calendar year 2018 to  2020

| Sl. No.   | State            |   2018 |   2019 |   2020 |
|-----------|------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh   |     32 |     42 |     58 |
| 2         | Assam            |      3 |      2 |      1 |
| 3         | Bihar            |      0 |      0 |      1 |
| 4         | Chhattisgarh     |      0 |      0 |      1 |
| 5         | Gujarat          |      5 |     13 |     18 |
| 6         | Haryana          |      8 |      6 |     11 |
| 7         | Himachal Pradesh |      3 |      0 |      0 |
| 8         | Jharkhand        |      2 |     61 |     69 |
| 9         | Karnataka        |     21 |     10 |     13 |
| 10        | Kerala           |      0 |     08 |      0 |
| 11        | Maharashtra      |      5 |     13 |     05 |
| 12        | Punjab           |      8 |     11 |     11 |
| 13        | Rajasthan        |      2 |      6 |      4 |
| 14        | Tamil Nadu       |     30 |     62 |     16 |
| 15        | Telangana        |      5 |      1 |      1 |
| 16        | Uttar Pradesh    |    654 |    918 |   1022 |
| 17        | Uttarakhand      |      0 |      1 |      0 |
| 18        | Delhi            |      0 |      1 |      0 |
|           | Total            |    778 |   1155 |   1231 |

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