(a) whether the Government is aware of trafficking of children for labour in various parts of the country including Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh etc.;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and
(c) the action taken by the Government towards rescue of such children and the result thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)
(a) to (c) Yes, Madam. Government has issued a Protocol on Prevention, Rescue, Repatriation and Rehabilitation of trafficked child labour to State Government which provides guidelines on crucial issues relating to trafficked child labour. Further, with a view to tackle the menace of human trafficking, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India has undertaken a number of measures which interalia includes:
# Operation of Anti-Trafficking Nodal Cell (ATC) which acts as a focal point to combat the crime of Human Trafficking, coordination meetings with the Nodal Officers of Anti Human Trafficking Units of all States/UTs periodically, developing of Web Portal on Anti Human Trafficking.
# MHA has issued comprehensive advisories for effectively tackling the crime of Human Trafficking and to increase the responsiveness of the law enforcement machinery with States/UTs.
# Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned a Comprehensive Scheme “Strengthening law enforcement response in India against Trafficking in Persons through Training and Capacity Building” to establish 330 Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) throughout the country and impart training to 10,000 police officers through Training of Trainers ( TOTs) component.
# At the behest of MHA, the National Crime Records Bureau has added a separate new chapter on Human Trafficking statistics in their annual publication “Crime in India”.
# India has ratified the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNCTOC) which has as one of its Protocols Prevention, Suppression and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons, particularly Women and Children.
# India has ratified the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution.