Question 1(b) · 199 words written
1(b)
Opening · a definition
The problem of Bonded Labour refers to the act of extracting labour from an individual for free or at very low prices by applying social or economic pressure e.g. Vetti, bandua; etc.
To treat bonded labour as just law and order problem is myopic and so legal safeguards fail. Various socio-economic processes cause this.
Body · points
→ Poverty forces individuals to work for extremely low wages and sell labour cheaply.
→ Migrant labour in industries are forced to work as they lack bargaining power, also physical coercion is used eg. two labours who tried running away from brick kiln in Orissa were found and hands chopped off.
→ Parents sell their minor children due to penury. Such children lack any security or bargaining power and are exploited.
→ Economic distress due to high cost of marriages or hospitalisation force peasants into debt trap at usurious rates, they are forced to work for the debts; even their children are born into debt.
→ Caste system practices such as Jajmani force lower castes to perform their obligations even against their will.
Close · a way forward
We need to realise that only legal provisions are insufficient; schemes like MGNREGA and Gram Kaushal Yojana can help alleviate this crisis.