Question : Child-Bonded Labour

(a)the number of child labourers and bonded labourers identified in the country, State/UT-wise;
(b)the total number of child and bonded labourers rescued and rehabilitated during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
(c)whether freed child and bonded labourers are forced to work again and if so, whether the Government proposes to evolve a new improved system for rehabilitation of child and bonded labourers and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(d)whether the Government has launched any publicity or special drive
against the practice of child and bonded labour in the country including rural areas;
(e)if so, the details thereof; and
(f)the measures taken by the Government for the complete eradication
of child and bonded labour in the country?

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

(a): The number of main workers in the age group of 5 to 14 years as per 2011 Census, State/UT-wise, is given at Annexure-1 and the State/UT-wise number of bonded labourers identified till 30.9.2015 is given at Annexure-II.
(b): As per the data received from District National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Societies, number of children rescued/withdrawn from work, rehabilitated and mainstreamed under NCLP Scheme during the last three years and the current year, State-wise is given at Annexure-III. Number of bonded labourers released and rehabilitated during the last three years and current year is given at Annexure-IV.
Contd..2/-
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(c): Enforcement of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 is with the Central and State Government in their respective spheres. However, Government is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme under which children rescued/ withdrawn from work in the age group of 9-14 years are enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres, where they are provided with bridge education, vocational training, mid day meal, stipend, health care etc. before mainstreaming into formal education system. Children in the age group of 5-8 years are directly linked to the formal education system through a close coordination with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA). A Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour is under operation since 1978. Under the scheme, rehabilitation assistance is provided which is equally shared by the Central and the State Government. In the case of North Eastern States, the entire financial assistance is borne by the Central Government.

(d) & (e): The NCLP Scheme envisages awareness generation campaigns against the evils of child labour. To undertake the awareness generation, funds to the tune of Rs. 1.25 lakh are provided annually to the NCLP Project Society. Under the Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour, Central Government provides assistance of Rs. Ten lakh per annum per state for undertaking awareness generation activities.

(f): Considering the nature of the problem of child labour, Government is following a multi-pronged strategy. It comprises of statutory and legislative measures, rehabilitation of children withdrawn from work through specific scheme and universal elementary education along with convergence with other schemes for socio-economic development. The Bonded Labour System has been abolished by law throughout the country under the Bonded labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. 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 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.
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