Lok Sabha Question No. 1370 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-07
Subject: Bonded Labour
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: GOPAL CHINAYYA SHETTY, SUSHMITA DEV, JYOTI DHURVE, P. KUMAR, T.G. VENKATESH BABU

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1370

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2015

## BONDED LABOUR

†1370. SHRI GOPAL  SHETTY:

KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV:

SHRIMATI JYOTI DHURVE:

SHRI P. KUMAR:

SHRI VENKATESH BABU T. G. :

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

- (a) whether forced and bonded labour system continues to persist both in  the  urban/backward  and  rural  areas  despite  its  abolition  in  the country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  reasons therefor;
- (b)the  number  of  cases  reported  under  the  Bonded  Labour  System (Abolition)  Act,  1976  during  each  of  the  last  three  years  and  the current  year,  year-wise  and  State/  UT-wise  along  with  the  action taken by the Government against the guilty during the said period;
- (c)the  number  of  bonded  labourers  including  men,  women  and  child bonded labourers  identified,  released  and  rehabilitated  along  with the  funds  provided  to  the  States  under  the  Bonded  Labourers
- Rehabilitation scheme during the said period, State/UT-wise; and
- (d)the corrective steps taken by the Government to completely abolish
- bonded labour system in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a): Instances  of  prevalence  of  forced  and  bonded  labour  system are noticed now and then even after its abolition by law with effect from 25 th   October, 1975. The reasons are spelt out exhaustively at Section 2(g) of The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. The root  of  the  problem  lies  in  the  social  customs  and  economic compulsions and they are yet to change in the desired direction.

(b): Action  against  the  guilty  under  the  Bonded  Labour  System (Abolition) Act, 1976 is taken by the respective State/UT Governments. Under  the  Act,  the  District  Magistrate  has  been  conferred  with  the powers  of Judicial Magistrate of first class for convicting the perpetrators of bonded labour system. The Act provides for punishment of imprisonment for a term upto three years and fine upto Rupees  Two  thousand  for  extracting  bonded  labour.  The  Central Government  does  not  maintain  records  in  respect  of  the  number  of cases reported under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act,1976 and the action taken by the State/UT Government against the guilty.

(c): The  number  of  Bonded  Labourers  including  men,  women  and child  bonded  labourers  identified,  released  and  rehabilitated  and  the assistance towards Central share released to the State/UT Governments  under  the  Bonded  Labourers  Rehabilitation  scheme during the last three years and the current year is annexed.

- (d): The  Constitution  of  India  vide  Art.23  prohibits  forced  labour following which the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 has been enacted. The Act empowers Executive Magistrates to exercise powers  of  Judicial  Magistrate  of  first  or  second  class  for  trial  of offences.  The  Act  provides  for  Vigilance  Committees  at  District  and Sub-divisional levels to identify and rehabilitate bonded labourers. In order to assist the State/UT Governments in the task of rehabilitation of  identified  and  released  bonded  labourers,  a  Centrally  Sponsored Plan  Scheme  for  Rehabilitation  of  Bonded  Labour  is  under  operation since 1978. Under the scheme, rehabilitation assistance @ Rs. 20,000/per  bonded labourer released is provided which is equally shared by the Central and the State/UT Government. In the case of North Eastern States, the entire financial assistance is borne by the Central Government.

*                                                     ******

Number  of  bonded  labourers  identified,  released  and  rehabilitated  under  the  Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme up to 31.09.2015

| Name of the State   | Number of Bonded Labourers   | Number of Bonded Labourers   | Number of Bonded Labourers                 |
|---------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| Name of the State   | Identified and Released      | Rehabilitated                | Central assistance provided (Rs. in lakhs) |
| Andhra Pradesh      | 38,141                       | 31,687                       | 865.30                                     |
| Arunachal Pradesh   | 3,526                        | 2992                         | 568.48                                     |
| Bihar               | 15,395                       | 14,577                       | 548.98                                     |
| Chhattisgarh        | 2215                         | 2215                         | 221.5                                      |
| Gujarat             | 64                           | 64                           | 1.01                                       |
| Haryana             | 594                          | 92                           | 5.23                                       |
| Jharkhand           | 196                          | 196                          | 19.60                                      |
| Karnataka           | 64,600                       | 58,348                       | 1694.48                                    |
| Kerala              | 823                          | 710                          | 15.56                                      |
| Madhya Pradesh      | 13,317                       | 12,392                       | 169.90                                     |
| Maharashtra         | 1,404                        | 1,325                        | 10.10                                      |
| Odisha              | 50,441                       | 47,313                       | 944.53                                     |
| Punjab              | 252                          | 252                          | 25.20                                      |
| Rajasthan           | 7713                         | 6556                         | 94.92                                      |
| Tamil Nadu          | 65,573                       | 65,573                       | 1661.94                                    |
| Uttar Pradesh       | 37,788                       | 37,788                       | 1529.73                                    |
| Uttaranchal         | 5                            | 5                            | 0.50                                       |
| West Bengal         | 344                          | 344                          | 27.26                                      |
| TOTAL               | 3,02,391*                    | 2,82,429                     | 8404.22                                    |

## NOTE

*   19962 Bonded Labourers are not available for rehabilitation either they have died or left the place without leaving their addresses.
*  Rehabilitation  grants  equal  to  Rs.  8404.22  lakhs  has  also  been  provided  by  the  State Governments as State's share for rehabilitation of bonded labour.
*      In  the  case  of  Arunachal  Pradesh,  being  a  State  of  North  Eastern  region,  the  financial assistance towards rehabilitation has been fully borne by the Central Government.

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