Lok Sabha Question No. 2085 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-05
Subject: Bonded Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2085 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2024

## BONDED LABOURERS

†2085. SHRI BHAUSAHEB RAJARAM WAKCHAURE:

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

- (a)the  details  of  estimated  number  of  bonded  labourers  across  the country especially in backward and rural areas as on date, Statewise;
- (b)whether  the  Government  has  prepared/to  be  prepared  any  plan  to
- rescue and rehabilitate the such labourers;
- (c)if so, the details thereof;
- (d)the details of bonded labourers rescued/rehabilitated so far;
- (e)whether  any  assistance  has  been  provided  particularly  in  the backward and rural areas of the country for this purpose during the
- last three years;
- (f)if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
- (g)whether  any  Committee  has  been  constituted  or  proposed  to  be constituted to identify, rescue and rehabilitate bonded labourers, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

- (a) to (f): In  order  to  assist  the  State  Governments  in  their  task  of rehabilitation  of  released  bonded  labourers,  the  Ministry  of  Labour  & Employment is implementing a Central Sector Scheme i.e. Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer. The Scheme is demand driven. Under the Scheme, financial assistance for rehabilitation of a rescued bonded labourer is Rs. 1 lakh per adult male beneficiary, Rs. 2 lakhs for special category beneficiaries such as children including orphans or those rescued from organized & forced begging rings or other forms of forced child labour, and women and Rs. 3 lakhs in cases of bonded or forced labour involving extreme  cases  of  deprivation  or  marginalization.  Immediate  cash assistance upto Rs. 30,000/- is provided to the rescued bonded labour by the District Administration.

The  rehabilitation  assistance  amount  is  provided  by  the respective  State  /  Union  Territories  to  the  rescued  bonded  labourers which are reimbursed by Central Government. The details of number of bonded labourers rescued & rehabilitated and details of rehabilitation amount reimbursed to States / UTs during 2021-22 to 2023-24, Statewise, is annexed.

(g): As per Section 13 of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, the State Government has to constitute Vigilance Committee in each district and each Sub-Division, as it may think fit, to advise the District Magistrate or any officer authorized by him for proper implementation  of  the  Act.  The  Committee  is  also  responsible  for providing  economic  and  social  rehabilitation  to  the  freed  bonded labourers.

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Annexure ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (f) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2085 FOR 05.08.2024 BY SHRI BHAUSAHEB RAJARAM WAKCHAURE REGARDING BONDED LABOURERS.

| Year    | State / UT    |   Amount reimbursed States (Rs. in lakh) |   No. of Bonded Labourer Rehabilitated |
|---------|---------------|------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| 2021-22 | Chhattisgarh  |                                    50    |                                    250 |
| 2021-22 | Tamil Nadu    |                                   204.73 |                                   1016 |
| 2021-22 | Bihar         |                                    58    |                                    290 |
| 2021-22 | Rajasthan     |                                    10    |                                     50 |
| 2022-23 | Rajasthan     |                                    14    |                                     70 |
| 2022-23 | Uttar Pradesh |                                   390.2  |                                    287 |
| 2022-23 | Tamil Nadu    |                                    59.4  |                                    297 |
| 2023-24 | Rajasthan     |                                    11.2  |                                     56 |
| 2023-24 | Tamil Nadu    |                                    56.8  |                                    176 |
| 2023-24 | Chhattisgarh  |                                    15.2  |                                     76 |
| 2023-24 | Pondicherry   |                                    15    |                                      5 |
| 2023-24 | Odisha        |                                    15.5  |                                    155 |

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