Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Scourge of Bonded Labour
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
○
in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) and Ambedkar Centre, Punjab University
Chandigarh. The reports could not be furnished in the period of report. Despite advice from the
Commission, the State Government does not seem interested in taking up the Awareness
Generation Programme, through a grant of Rs.10 lakh, which has been offered by the Union
Labour Ministry.
Bihar
9.25 26 out of a total of 38 districts are considered as ‘Bonded Labour-Prone Districts’. The
northern part of Bihar, constantly afflicted by heavy floods as well as drought-conditions, is
known for the largest concentration of poverty, illiteracy and semi-feudal character of society. It
has traditionally been fertile ground for the evolution of the Bonded Labour System.
9.26 Vigilance Committees are in place in all the 38 districts and 101 Sub-Divisions of the
State. A total of 350 released bonded labourers were required to be rehabilitated in the year
2004-05. This included the pending rehabilitation of 168 mentioned in the last annual report.
200 of them have been rehabilitated under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme in the period under
review. It is heartening to note that the State share of Rs. 15 lakh for the rehabilitation of 150
balance cases has been included in the third Supplementary of 2004-05 State Budget. The
Commission was assured that their rehabilitation would also be completed before 31-03-2005.
9.27 A significant feature of rehabilitation of the released bonded labourers in Bihar is an effective
implementation of Principle of convergence ensuring integration of the Centrally Sponsored
Rehabilitation Scheme with other on-going Poverty Alleviation Programmes run by the Department
of Rural Development. The Commission was informed that all the released bonded labourers have
been provided benefits under the Indira Awas Yojana and Social Security Pension of Rs. 100 per
month besides receiving the rehabilitation package of Rs. 20,000 per head under the Centrally
Sponsored Scheme. However, perusal of information furnished in respect of districts of Purnea,
Muzaffarpur, Sitamari and Saharsa did not substantiate this claim totally.
9.28 No information could be obtained about prosecution as all the detections were made in
other States and not in Bihar.
9.29 Government of Bihar has made full use of the special grant of Rs. 25 lakh released by the
Union Labour Ministry for awareness generation (Rs. 10 lakh), survey in five districts (Rs. 5
lakh) and five Evaluatory studies (Rs. 5 lakh). Details of utilization of the grant received for
surveys and awareness generation have not been furnished.
9.30 The Evaluation Studies conducted by A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna in the
districts of West Champaran, Mungher, Nalanda, Nawda and Patna provide significant
information on the character of bonded labour in Bihar. A total of 811 rehabilitated bonded
labourers were contacted and 606 of them were actually interviewed in these studies. The SCs
National Human Rights Commission Annual Report - 2004-2005
139
AR-Chapter-1-19-10-6-06.p65
159
7/17/06, 6:30 PM