Central Office and Training Centre

1289 ISEC Road, Nagarbhavi Post, Bangalore 560072

Phone: +91 80 23210194

Email: support@jeevikafree.org
Website: www.jeevikafree.org

Press Statement
March 7, 2018

Rehabilitation of 234 Freed Bonded Labourers

on March 7, 2018 at Bagepalli, Chikkaballapur District
On March 7, 2018, 234 Bonded labourers from Bagepalli taluk freed in
2013 each received rehabilitation grants of Rs 20,000 from the old central
scheme and Rs 7,200 from the old unique pension scheme of Karnataka
Government, totally Rs. 27,200 through cheques.

The cheque distribution programme was jointly organized by the taluk

panchayat, the taluk administration, Karnataka Jetadalu mattu krashikarmikar
Okkuta and JEEVIKA. It was held at the Bagepally taluk panchayat premises
from 10 am to 1 pm. Together with the 234 freed bonded labourers, totally
around 600 members of the Okkuta and the public had gathered.

The popular local MLA, Sri S.N. Subbareddy graced the occasion as Chief
Guest and distributed cheques to a few freed bonded labourers symbolically.
The taluk panchayat officials with the help of JEEVIKA activists and Okkuta
leaders distributed the remaining cheques after the programme.

Sri Subbareddy realising that Rs. 27,000 will not help anyway the bonded
labourers to eke out a decent living directed the Executive Officer of the
taluk panchayat to see that the banks give low interest loans of Rs. 23,000
to each of the freed bonded labourers so that each one of them was
enabled to buy a good quality cow or 10 sheep/goats. He also promised to
them to buy on his own two acres of land to each one of them if they
managed to persuade their former masters to sell those such lands.
Further, he assured that he would support to any extent to see that their
children were well educated.
 Central Office and Training Centre
1289 ISEC Road, Nagarbhavi Post, Bangalore 560072

Phone: +91 80 23210194

Email: support@jeevikafree.org
Website: www.jeevikafree.org

Sri Kiran Kamal Prasad making the introductory remarks said that if the
officials, the people’s representatives and people’s organisations worked in
cooperation, a burning issue like bonded labour can easily be eradicated.
In Bagepalli taluk, among all the taluks in Chikkaballapur district, a great
number of bonded labourers, 526 (2001- 106, 2010 – 106, 2013 – 234)
were released and being rehabilitated from 2001 till date. Going by this
trend, the taluk could be made bonded labour free in agricultural sector, he
opined.

Explaining the different current central and state schemes for the
rehabilitation of freed bonded labourers, he requested the officials to get
them fully implemented. The Central Scheme, operative since May 17,
2017, allots Rs. one lakh, two lakh or three lakhs to each of the bonded
labourers. To get this benefit, the State Government must work out for a
skill development training and provide an asset, from its own schemes and
budget, to implement that skill to each of the freed bonded labourers. He
requested the EO to work out these trainings and provide for the assets
and get them sanctioned from the State Government and through the State
Government get the Central grants under the new scheme.

To eradicate the evil of bonded labour, he appealed to the bonded

labourers to get organised and be a watch to prevent anyone from getting
into bondage as also to see that they educate children, especially the girls,
upto to PUC and Degree level.

Kiran Kamal Prasad

Coordinator
+91 9008487287

Media In charge (RSVP):

Ramaswamy: +91 9448524602
Umesh: +91 99728 30274