Identification
Community outreach across kiln, quarry, farm and small manufacturing clusters to find workers held under debt bondage, working through local networks and the communities themselves.
Direct Intervention · Justice
Bonded Labour
Identification, case registration, rescue and statutory rehabilitation of workers held in debt bondage — a practice outlawed in India since 1976.
20,664
Forced and bonded labourers rescued
15
States of operation
945
Pending cases
₹30,000
Statutory immediate assistance
Context
Why this work exists.
Bonded labour constitutes a form of modern slavery. India outlawed this practice in 1976 through the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act. Under the legislation, bonded labour is defined as “a forced labour system in which a borrower agrees to work for the lender without wages for a fixed or indefinite period in exchange for a loan”. This arrangement may persist across generations.
Forced labour encompasses situations where individuals are pressured into work through violence, threats, accumulated debt, document confiscation, or denunciation threats.
According to Arjun Sengupta’s research, India has approximately 423 million workers: 395 million in unorganised sectors and 28 million in organised sectors. The Global Slavery Index identifies 24 million forced labourers in India, including 18 million bonded labourers. Government figures estimate 300,000 bonded labourers, while other assessments suggest 65 million forced and bonded labourers, including 5 million children.
How we work
What the programme actually does.
Case registration
Engagement with government authorities to formally register the case — the step that obliges the district administration to act and starts the statutory clock.
Rescue
Participation in rescue teams alongside the district administration and police, securing the immediate safety of workers and their families.
Rehabilitation
Legal assistance for repatriation and compensation under the Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers, 2021, which provides immediate financial assistance of ₹30,000 following the February 2022 revision.
Methodology
Each stage has to close before the next one means anything.
- 01
Identification
Community outreach locates workers held in bondage.
- 02
Case registration
The case is registered with the relevant government authority.
- 03
Rescue
Rescue conducted with the district administration and police.
- 04
Rehabilitation
Repatriation, compensation claims and legal aid under the Central Scheme.
Case studies
What this looks like in practice.
Documented cases, with the dates and outcomes as recorded.
40 bonded labourers, Ludhiana
Bhutta village, Ludhiana, Punjab
Migrant workers from Dalit communities across Uttar Pradesh were trafficked to Ludhiana by an agent, Pramod Kumar, to work at the Lekhram Sood & Co. brick kiln for almost two years in bondage conditions.
They were promised ₹912 per 1,000 bricks. Parvinder’s family made 357,000 bricks, Satender’s 347,000, Harkesh’s 375,000 and Ravi’s 210,100. None of them received any wages.
Workers lived in houses without washrooms and drew water from a tubewell. The owner controlled food distribution and medical care, restricted their movement, and did not allow them to seek alternative employment.
- 23 June 2024Workers faced death threats for demanding payment.
- 24 June 2024Some workers escaped; authorities initially forced them back.
- 25 June 2024Formal rescue occurred after persistent advocacy.
StatusWorkers were repatriated to Muzaffarnagar. Police recorded only the men’s statements, excluding women and children despite their participation. Mehnatkash Association has requested interim compensation and an investigation, with potential High Court escalation pending.
Rehana Begum — manual scavenging under bondage
Dwarka, Delhi
Rehana Begum, a jhuggi resident, was trapped in bonded labour through a ₹5,000 advance from a contractor who promised sanitation work. From 2014 she was forced to work long hours without a regular salary or adequate equipment at a Delhi Development Authority toilet facility.
- February 2017Her husband contacted the NCCEBL; the SDM initially ruled against her.
- April 2017NHRC intervention led the SDM to declare her a bonded labourer and issue a release certificate.
- November 2017Delhi High Court ordered an investigation and rehabilitation.
- September 2018The court reprimanded the state for non-compliance, ordering the remaining reliefs within six weeks.
Status₹20,000 interim compensation was granted. Rehana had received only partial compensation while facing continued harassment from her former employer despite the court’s directions.
Outcomes
What a closed case looks like.
- Release from bondage with the documentation required to make it legally effective
- Compensation claims filed under the Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers, 2021
- Repatriation to the worker’s home district where they wish to return
- Continued legal aid through quasi-judicial and administrative proceedings
Legal basis
The law we work under.
- Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976
- Standard Operating Procedure for Identification, Release, Rescue and Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour
- Central Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour, 2021
- NHRC Advisory 2.0 to Identify, Release and Rehabilitate Bonded Labourers
Questions
Frequently asked.
What is bonded labour under Indian law?+
The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 defines it as a forced labour system in which a borrower agrees to work for the lender without wages, for a fixed or indefinite period, in exchange for a loan. The arrangement can pass across generations.
What compensation is a rescued worker entitled to?+
Under the Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers, 2021 — revised in February 2022 — rescued bonded labourers receive immediate financial assistance of ₹30,000, alongside the wider rehabilitation package.
How many people have been rescued?+
20,664 forced and bonded labourers have been rescued, with 945 cases currently pending across quasi-judicial and administrative forums.
Related
Other areas of our work.
Worker’s Housing Rights
Advocacy and rehabilitation for unorganised-sector workers, migrant labourers, bonded labourers, trafficking survivors and homeless destitute labourers denied adequate housing.
Read moreGig Workers
Mobilisation, advocacy, capacity building and legal aid for platform-based workers left in regulatory limbo by India’s labour codes.
Read moreMigrant Workers
Awareness, outreach, rehabilitation, legal aid and social support for workers who leave home to find employment in other regions.
Read moreBring us a case, or fund the next one.
Reports can be anonymous. Every case above began with someone deciding to speak.