NEW DELHI: The Union Government will invite 100 rehabilitated bonded labourers, along with their spouses, as special guests to the upcoming Independence Day ceremony at the Red Fort. This initiative is expected to renew national attention on the persistent issue of bonded labour and efforts towards its eradication.
According to a letter from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), obtained by The New Indian Express, the ministry has requested the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) to coordinate with state governments to compile a list of 100 rescued and rehabilitated labourers. The MoD has also asked MoLE to suggest any other category of labourers who may be considered for inclusion in the special guest list.
In line with the government’s 15-year vision plan launched in 2016, the target is to identify and rescue 1.84 crore bonded labourers by the year 2030.
The MoD’s memo includes a tabulated format for compiling details of rescued individuals, including name, identification, address, spouse's information, and the year of rescue and rehabilitation.
Under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, the responsibility for identifying, releasing, and rehabilitating bonded labourers lies with state governments and Union Territories. The MoLE administers the Act and implements the central sector scheme “Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour – 2021,” which provides financial assistance to states for the identification and rehabilitation of bonded labourers within their local jurisdictions.
MoLE has requested all states and Union Territories to submit data on bonded labourers who have been rescued and rehabilitated between 2019–20 and 2024–25, along with the prescribed proforma.
According to the ministry’s 15-year vision document prepared in 2016–17, the goal is to free and rehabilitate approximately 1.84 crore bonded labourers by 2030. However, progress has been slow. Since 2016, fewer than 5,000 bonded labourers have been released annually, with a total of around 35,000 freed to date under the current plan.
Overall, government data indicates that 3.15 lakh bonded labourers have been released and rehabilitated across the country between 1978 and 2023.
Experts working on bonded labour issues in urban areas believe the Independence Day gesture will help revive public and governmental focus on this deeply entrenched problem.