CONDITION OF BONDED LABOURERS
The Bonded Labour
System has been abolished by law through the country w.e.f 24.10.1975
under the Bonded Labour system (abolition) Act, 1976. As per the
Act, vigilance Committees have been constituted both at district
and sub-divisional levels by the States/Union Territories for
identification, release and rehabilitation of bonded labourers.
The District and Sub-Divisional Magistrates have been entrusted
with certain duties and responsibilities under the Act with a
view to take punitive action against the offenders for violation
of the provisions of the Act. Incidence of Bonded Labour our system
have been reported from time to time, from 17 States namely, Andhra
Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal,
Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The National
Human Rights Commission in their report dated 27th
March, 2003 submitted to the Hon’ble Supreme Court informed that
the response received from some States in relation to furnishing
of information for monitoring of identification, release and rehabilitation
of bonded labourers was unsatisfactory, and requested that specific
directions be issued by the Apex Court to these States. The Supreme
Court in its order dated 15.7.2003 in Writ Petition No. 3922/85
have directed 11 State Governments to furnish required status
reports as requested by the NHRC with effect from 1st
January, 2002. The Ministry of Labour has also requested these
State Governments for compliance of the above directions.
This information
was given by the Minister of State for Labour and Parliamentary
Affairs Shri Santosh Gangwar in the Rajya Sabha today.
