Bonded Labour

  • September 12, 2020
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Subject: Polity

Context :

Swami Agnivesh was widely known for his campaign against bonded labour through his foundation BandhuaMuktiMorcha (Bonded Labor Liberation Front).

Concept:

  • Bonded labour in India is defined as a system of forced labour caused by a debt or by social custom or obligation, under which a debtor loses freedom of movement, and/or freedom to look for alternative employment, and /or is subjected to a reduction in wages and/or to product prices less than the minimum or market rates
  • Article 23 deals with bonded labour
    • Traffic in human beings and begar and other similar forms of forced labour are prohibited and any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.
    • Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from imposing compulsory service for public purposes, and in imposing such service the State shall not make any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste or class or any of them

Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976

  • Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 is implemented by the concerned State Govts./UTs. Itprovides for an institutional mechanism at the district level in the form of Vigilance Committees.
  • For the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Act, the State Governments/UTs may confer, on an Executive Magistrate, the powers of a Judicial Magistrate of the first class or second class for trial of offences under this Act.
  • Government of India has introduced a revamped Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers- 2016, under which financial assistance are provided to released bonded labourers based on their category and level of exploitation along with other non-cash assistance for their livelihood.
Bonded Labour Polity