Freedom From Bondage: Saga of Freed Bonded Labourers in Bihar

Bonded labour system is evil and wherever it exists, it reminds of the dark ages. Indian society through ages has been developing with the gradual effort to remove slavery and bondage. After independence, the momentum was slow till 1976 when the bonded labour act was enacted into action. The impetus was added by the Honorable Supreme Court with several dynamic judgements, particularly in Bandhua Mukti Morcha v/s Union of India case, which laid the illuminating path for eradicating the bonded labour system,  Bonded labour is an ill product of dreaded poverty and destitution. The liberation and rehabilitation from the adage of debt bonded labour ethos can be meaningful if the freed bonded labourers families can climb the social and economic ladder. They should feel empowered to become independent and free form any socio-economic encumbrances.The present evaluation in Nawada, Nalanda, Patna, West Champaran and Munger District of rehabilitation schemes for the freed bonded labour has been done with the objective to see the real gains and levels of their growth and development from pre-freed status.