Bonded Labour System has been abolished by law throughout the country with effect from 25^th October, 1975 under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Ordinance which was replaced by the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. Under the Act, it is the responsibility of State governments to identify, release and rehabilitate the bonded labour.

The Act affords protection to the freed bonded labourers from eviction from their homestead. District Administration is mandated to restore the bonded labourer to the possession of such homestead or other residential premises as early as practicable. The Act also provides for the economic and social rehabilitation of the freed 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 was in operation since May, 1978.  The Government has revamped the Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers with effect from 17^th May, 2016.  The revamped scheme is known as the ‘Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers, 2016’.

  The salient features of the Scheme are as under:

(1)      The revised scheme is a Central Sector Scheme. The State Government is not required to pay any matching contribution for the purpose of cash rehabilitation assistance.

(2)      Financial assistance has been increased from Rs. 20,000/- to one lakh per adult male beneficiary, Rs. 2 lakh for special category beneficiaries such as children including orphans or those rescued from organized & forced begging rings or other forms of forced child labour, and women and Rs. 3 lakh in cases of bonded or forced labour involving extreme cases of deprivation or marginalization such as trans-genders, or woman or children rescued from ostensible sexual exploitation such as brothels, massage parlours, placement agencies etc., or trafficking, or in cases of differently abled persons, or in situations where the District Magistrate deems fit.

(3)      The amount of assistance for survey of bonded labourers is Rs. 4.50 lakh per district.

(4)      The release of rehabilitation assistance has been linked with conviction of the accused.   In cases where the trial has not been concluded, but the District Administration has arrived at a prima facie finding and proof of bondage, then the proposal for cash assistance shall not be stopped for want of details of conviction. However, final disbursement of cash assistance and non-cash assistance shall be made upon proof of bondage and other legal consequences as per judicial process.

(5)      Scheme provides for creation of a Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Fund at District level by each State with a permanent corpus of at least Rs. 10 lakh at the disposal of the District Magistrate for extending immediate help to the released bonded labourers.

(6)      The fund is released by the Ministry under the Scheme to the District National Child Labour Project Society and the District Project Society in turn releases the fund to the implementing agencies including the district administration.

(7)      Special care is made available by the State for addressing the needs of the disabled persons,  female freed bonded labourers and bonded child labour by providing safe and secure environment for the capacity building of child bonded labourers,  facilities for ensuring their proper education, short stay home till education upto class 12^th, skill development, marriage assistance etc.

(8)      The benefits prescribed above shall be, in addition to, other cash or non-cash benefits which a beneficiary under this scheme is entitled to, by or under any other scheme or law applicable for the time being in force. Further, the above benefits would be additionality to other land and housing elements etc. as mentioned below:

·         Allotment of house-site and agricultural land.

·         Land development.

·         Provision of low cost dwelling units.

·         Animal husbandry, dairy, poultry, piggery etc.

·         Wage employment, enforcement of minimum wages etc.

·         Collection and processing of minor forest products.

·         Supply of essential commodities under targeted public distribution system.

·         Education for children.

The budget allocation available under the Scheme for the current financial year is Rs. three crore. Every bonded labour including child bonded labour in the country is covered under the Scheme.  In case of migrant bonded labourers, it is responsibility of the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations, where the bonded labour have been identified, to make arrangements for their repatriation to their native place, if they so desire.

This information was given by Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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AT/YSK