Question : Bonded Labourers

(a)whether the Government has implemented a seven year strategy (2017-18 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?

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.
Contd..2/-
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(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 (Rs. in lakh)
2017-18 Rajasthan 74.25
Madhy Madhya Pradesh 18.00
Sikkim 09.00
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 95.30
2015-16 500 500 221.60
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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