Parliament Question: Schemes for Bonded Labourers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 175 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025 SCHEMES FOR BONDED LABOURERS †175. SHRI ARUN KUMAR SAGAR:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to

state:

(a)the details of the estimated number of bonded labourers, especially in backward and rural areas of the country, State/UT- wise;

(b)whether the Government has prepared or proposed any plan for liberation and rehabilitation of bonded labourers and if so, the details thereof;

(c)the details of the number of bonded labourers liberated/rehabilitated so far in the country, State/UT-wise;

(d)whether any assistance has been provided by the Government for the said purpose during the last three years and the current year, year-wise, especially in backward and rural areas of the country and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;

(e)whether any committee has been constituted or proposed to be constituted by the Government for the purpose of tracing, liberating and rehabilitating the bonded labourers; and

(f)if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (f): The Ministry of Labour & Employment has been implementing a Central Sector Scheme viz. Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer for identification and rehabilitation of bonded labourers.

Under the Scheme, rehabilitation assistance to the tune of Rs. 1.00 lakh, Rs. 2.00 lakh and Rs. 3.00 lakh are provided to each rescued bonded labourer based on their category and level of exploitation.

Besides, there is a provision to provide immediate financial assistance upto Rs. 30,000/- to each rescued bonded labour. The details of number of bonded labourers rescued & rehabilitated and details of rehabilitation amount released during 2022-23 to 2025-26, State-wise, (upto 25.11.2025) is annexed.

Contd..2/-:: 2 ::

Under the Bonded Labour Act, 1976, there is a provision of constitution of Vigilance Committee by State Government. Every State Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute such number of Vigilance Committees in each district and each Sub-Division as it may think fit. The vigilance committee is responsible for providing economic and social rehabilitation to the freed bonded labourers.

* *****Annexure- ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (f) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 175 FOR 01.12.2025 BY SHRI ARUN KUMAR SAGAR

REGARDING SCHEMES FOR BONDED LABOURERS:

Sl. Year Name of No. of bonded labourer to whom Amount of Immediate No. State/UT Immediate Financial/ Final Financial/Final Rehabilitation Assistance has Rehabilitation been provided Assistance provided to bonded labourers (in Rs.

lakh)

1. 2022-23 Rajasthan 70 14.00 Uttar Pradesh 287 390.20 Tamil Nadu 297 59.40

2. 2023-24 Rajasthan 56 11.20 Tamil Nadu 176 56.80 Chhattisgarh 76 15.20 Pondicherry 5 15.00 Odisha 155 15.50 Rajasthan 50 10.00

3. 2024-25 Tamil Nadu 196 57.40 2025-26 Tamil Nadu 41 19.30

4. (as on

25.11.2025) *****