Bonded Labour, pending criminal cases and date of initiation and outcome
and features of case management.
II. Identification
6. Survey teams may be constituted with the Central Assistance, as
mentioned in Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer-
2016 (hereinafter be read as CSS-2016) and it should focus on bonded
labour prone areas/districts.
7. Periodic surveys for identification of bonded labour should be done as
mandated under the CSS-2016.
8. The focus of the State and District level functionaries, as regards the
prevalence ofbonded labour, should not only be limited to brick kilns alone
but also in domains where bonded labour system has manifested itself in
newer forms like in Construction Industry, Shopping Malls, Call Centres,
Massage Parlour, etc. The newer forms of bonded labour need to be
identified for providing reliefto them as per the existing Act and Scheme.
III. Rescue
9. The District Magistrate/Sub-Divisional Magistrate should investigate as
soon as possible within 24 hours upon receiving a complaint of bonded
labour system. In case the process for rescue is not initiated as per the
Standard Operating Procedure for Identification and Rescue of Bonded
Labourer and Prosecution of Offender-2017 (hereinafter be read as SOP-
2017) the concerned public servant be held accountable.
10.The DM/ SDM should ensure that the Release Certificates be issued within
24 hours of the rescue and efforts should be made to issue Release
Certificates in digital form also.
11.As mandated under SOP-2017, the rescue team shall be multi-disciplinary.
A member of Civil Society Organizations or Social Workers be included for
rescued labourer support including counselling and other roles.
IV. Repatriation Sb Rehabilitation
12.The District Magistrates shall ensure that adequate funds are always
available in the District Corpus Fund so that immediate cash assistance
upto Rs. 20, 000/- as prescribed in the CSS-2016 is provided immediately
to the rescued person. Corpus Fund under the CSS - 2016 be created with
immediate effect in the Districts where it has not been created.
13.There is an inordinate delay in release of the cash and non-cash component
to the released bonded labourer as the release of the Rehabilitation Package
has been linked with the conviction in which the rescued labourer has no
control nor is associated in the trial. Efforts be made to delink dependency
2 IPa ge