(a) the number of cases of bonded children brought to the notice of the Government during the past three years, State-wise; and
(b) the steps taken to rehabilitate them?
(a) the number of cases of bonded children brought to the notice of the Government during the past three years, State-wise; and
(b) the steps taken to rehabilitate them?
MINISTER OF LABOUR (SHRI SAHIB SINGH VERMA)
(a): The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 does not make any discrimination amongst child bondage and adult bondage. No separate data on child bondage is maintained. However, the number of bonded labourers including child-bonded labourers identified and released by the State Governments during the last three years - year-wise and state-wise is given in Annexure.
(b): Adequate rehabilitation packages are provided to released bonded labourers including child bonded labourers under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme and other poverty alleviation programmes being implemented in States. In addition, two schemes exclusively for the benefit of children withdrawn from work namely, the Scheme of National Child Labour Projects (NCLPs) and Grants-in-aid to voluntary organizations have been launched. Under the Scheme of NCLPs, 100 National Child Labour Projects have been started in 13 child labour endemic states to provide formal/non-formal education, vocational training, stipend, nutrition, health care etc. for the children withdrawn from work.
ANNEXURE
STATEMENT AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA USQ NO. 915 FOR 8.12.2003
Number of Bonded Labourers including child bonded labourers released from bondage during the last three years, year-wise and State-wise is given below:
Year State No. of bonded labourers (including bonded child labourers) released
2000-01 Arunachal Pradesh 1576 Rajasthan 24 Tamil Nadu 3656 2001-02 Bihar 28 Haryana 7 Maharashtra 14 Karnataka 36 Tamil Nadu 3844 2002-03 Bihar 125 Chattisgarh 124 Haryana 21 Karnataka 1854 Maharashtra 5 Punjab 69