Bonded Labour In India

Concept and Legal Framework

• Bonded labour is defined under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.
• It involves forced labour to repay debts with little or no wages.
• Traditional systems like Adiyamar, Baramasia, and Kuthia reflect hereditary caste-based bondage.
• Between 2016 and 2021, only 12,760 individuals were rescued and rehabilitated.
• Around 80% of bonded labourers belong to SC/ST/OBC communities, showing structural vulnerability.

Causes and Structural Drivers

• Poverty and chronic indebtedness push families into exploitative debt arrangements.
• Nearly 84% of bonded labourers are Dalits and OBCs, reflecting caste discrimination.
• Lack of education and awareness traps workers in illegal bondage systems.
• Weak enforcement and political indifference enable continued exploitation.
• With 90% of India’s workforce informal, migrant workers remain highly vulnerable.

Key Challenges in Elimination

• Bonded labour remains hidden in informal sectors like brick kilns, mining, and agriculture.
• Cases like the Sumangali scheme in Tamil Nadu often remain unreported.
  • Sumangali is a form of child labour is practised particularly in the textile industry in Tamil Nadu. It is likened to soft trafficking a less explicit form of human trafficking. 
  • In the scheme, a girl is hired on contract for three to five years, during which she earns a wage, and after which she is paid a lump sum to pay for a dowry.
• Enforcement remains weak despite strong legal provisions under the 1976 Act.
• Only 12,760 rescued against an estimated 1.84 crore affected persons.
• Delayed compensation, like denial of ₹1 lakh aid in Odisha, weakens rehabilitation.

Government Initiatives

• The Central Sector Scheme provides compensation, rehabilitation, and skill training support.
• MGNREGA ensures rural employment and income security for vulnerable families.
• PMAY and Ayushman Bharat provide housing and health protection respectively.
• Skill India and PMKVY enhance employability of rescued bonded workers.

Way Forward

• Strict implementation of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 is essential.
• Proactive identification in high-risk sectors like mining and agriculture must increase.
• Ensure timely compensation, legal aid, and structured rehabilitation support.
• Launch grassroots legal literacy campaigns in vulnerable communities.
• Promote inclusive development addressing poverty, caste inequality, and illiteracy simultaneously.

Conclusion

• Bonded labour is not merely economic exploitation but a denial of human dignity. As Dr. Ambedkar stated, social liberty must accompany legal freedom.  Its eradication must become a collective moral movement for justice and equality.