72 1 ABOLITION OF CHILD LABOUR AND BONDED LABOUR of women in the district of Bhadoi who were being trained in carpet weaving by Bal Adhikar Pariyojana, an NGO being supported by UNICEF, which had formed a production unit of its own. These women belonged to the families of children who had been withdrawn from child labour and admitted to school. (b) Koi Tk-ibals 7.13 In May 2000, the Commission constituted an Expert Group to suggest long term measures for the upliftment of Kol tribals in Uttar Pradesh who have, for long, been the victims of bonded labour and other oppressive social and economic practices. Shri Chaman Lai, Special Rapporteur, was the Convenor of this Group; the members were Professor Sheotaj Singh, General Secretary, Bonded Labourers' Liberation Front; Shri Amar Saran, Advocate, Allahabad; and Shri Bharat Dogra, Journalist. The Committee visited Shankargarh Block in Allahabad and Mau Block in Chitrakoot to study the living conditions and other related issues affecting the rights of Kol tribals. The Group interacted with the district officials, representatives of NGOs and heard a large number of Kol tribals in their habitats. The report of the Group, proposing both shortterm and long-term measiures for improving the economic and social conditions of the Kol tribals, has been sent to the Government of Uttar Pradesh for eliciting a response. The Commission will issue its recommendations and directives after considering their response. 7.14 A total of379 bonded labourers were identified and released in Uttar Pradesh in 2000-01, bringing the aggregate number so released from 1996-97 to 1,738. Of the 379 released in 2000-01,227 were migrant labourers, who were to be rehabilitated by their parent States. Of the remaining 152,106 were rehabilitated during the course of the year 2000-01 itself, under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of the Government of India, an equal share of the funding coming from the Central Government and the Government of Uttar Pradesh. However, 449 labourers including 46 released from bondage in the year 2000-01 were awaiting rehabilitation as of 31 March 2001. The Commission is of the view that the rehabilitation of migrant labourers, principally belonging to Bihar, is not progressing satisfactorily. It has taken up the matter with the Union Labour Ministry to see whether the existing procediues could be simplified. The Commission is also of the view that the total number of bonded labourers detected, namely 1,738 in the five-year period from 1996-97 to 2000-01, is lower than the situation warranted. This has been conveyed to the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The Commission has also directed that Government to constitute Vigilance NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION