Over 330 bonded labourers including 65 children were rescued in Tamil Nadu in 2023-24

CHENNAI: Over 330 bonded labourers, including 65 children, have been rescued from various industries in Tamil Nadu during the financial year 2023-2024, Minister for Labour C V Ganesan said in a policy note.

The rescues were due to regular and special inspections carried out in more than 44,000 establishments, he said.

The government, with an objective to free the state from bonded and child labourer systems, has been taking a multi pronged approach. As part of the initiative, the labour department has been carrying out routine and surprise raids in various industries. As many as 268 violations were noticed and 65 child and 274 adolescent labour were rescued and rehabilitated, the minister stated.

Officials have filed 57 new cases this fiscal while 103 cases (including pending ones) have ended in a conviction, he said.

The minister also noted that a fine of Rs 19.42 lakh was imposed against employers of bonded labourers for violating the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 and the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976.

It may be recalled that officials have rescued over 53 boys, out of whom 12 were below 14 years of age, from gold jewellery-making units Sowcarpet in Chennai in July last year. They were forced to work for more than 14 hours, had their movements restricted, and were given less wages. Following their rescue, officials issued a bonded labour certificate and facilitated their return to their native village in September last year, Ganesan said, adding that it was one of the biggest rescues conducted.

The labour minister went on to add that the government has sanctioned Rs 1.33 crore for the creation of a permanent corpus fund for the rehabilitation of bonded labourers in the state.

"Rescued bonded labourers are rehabilitated with an immediate assistance amount of Rs 30,000 along with other government welfare measures," he added.