Question : Human Trafficking

(a) whether incidents of human trafficking in different parts of the country including ports, airports and international borders are regularly being reported;

(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the number of such incidents reported and persons arrested therein during each of the last three years, State/port/airport and border-wise;

(c) whether many States have submitted proposals for combined efforts to address this issue and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether any memorandum has been signed with Bangladesh to check the trafficking of women and children and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the measures taken by the Government to check human trafficking within the country and on the international borders along with opening of ‘One Stop Centre’ in human trafficking prone areas?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) & (b): National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes information on crime, including Human Trafficking, in its publication “Crime in India”. The latest published data pertains to the years 2016. NCRB has informed that specific information on incidents of

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human trafficking at ports, airports and international borders is not maintained separately. State/UT-wise number of cases of human trafficking reported and persons arrested during 2014 to 2016 are given in Annexure.

(c) to (e): A Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation for prevention of human trafficking, especially trafficking of women and children, rescue, recovery, repatriation and reintegration of victims between India and Bangladesh has been signed on June 6, 2015.

‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility of maintaining law and order and protection of life and property of the citizens primarily rest with respective State Governments, who are competent to deal with the offence of human trafficking under the extant provisions of laws.

However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended support to the States in establishing 332 Anti Human Trafficking Units in various districts of the States to address the problem of trafficking. MHA has also issued various advisories to the States and UTs providing detailed guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to effectively tackle the malady of trafficking. MHA has also been providing financial assistance to State Governments and Judicial Academies to hold regular


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‘State level conferences’ and ‘Judicial Colloquiums’ to sensitize their police officials at various levels, judicial officers, prosecutors and other stakeholders concerned about the latest provisions of law relevant to trafficking and their role and responsibility in curbing the crime of trafficking. MHA also holds the meetings of Nodal Officers of Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) on periodic basis. During the meeting of the Nodal Officers of AHTUs, some State representatives had voiced the need to have inter-state coordination for rescue of victims and investigation and prosecution of offenders. MHA had issued an advisory to all States and UTs to establish mechanisms for effective inter-state coordination between the law enforcement officers concerned. They were also advised to make use of technology in sharing information about the victims of trafficking and traffickers with each other which will result in making the system robust and bring in greater efficiency in addressing the crime in an effective manner.

The Ministry of Women and child Development is implementing a scheme of One Stop Centre (OSC) to provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence. A total of 506 OSCs are operational in the country.
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