Odisha’s Bonded‑Labour Law Marks 50 Years Yet Survivors Still Return to Exploitation
Updated (2 articles)
Anniversary Highlights Legislative Stagnation The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1976 celebrated its 50th anniversary in February 2026, yet the statute has never been amended and the most recent official data stem from the 2011 Socio‑Economic Caste Census, which recorded 8,304 rescued labourers in Odisha and 165,000 nationwide, with no systematic follow‑up on rehabilitation [1].
Recent Rescue Cases Reveal Persistent Cycle Migrant worker Panchanan Muduli fled a Hyderabad poultry farm in early 2025, was forced into 15‑hour days on a fishery farm in Andhra Pradesh, rescued in Telangana under the Act, received no assistance and by November 2025 had migrated with his wife and daughter to a brick kiln in Telangana, illustrating how rescued individuals quickly fall back into bondage [1].
Rehabilitation Promises Remain Unfulfilled Families such as Dambarudhar Majhi’s, rescued from a Karnataka poultry farm in 2017, report never receiving promised aid; similarly, Jayaraj Jagat and his wife, rescued from a Tamil Nadu brick kiln in 2012 and given a one‑time ₹19,000 each, returned to brick‑kiln work in Telangana because sustainable support was absent [1].
Aid Delays and Activist Findings Expose Systemic Neglect Aid et Action director Umi Daniel warns that postponed disbursement of the 2016 Central Sector Scheme—offering up to ₹30,000 immediate relief and graded assistance of ₹1‑3 lakh—pushes rescued labourers back into exploitative jobs, while activist Baghambhar Patnaik’s petitions for 1,472 released bonded labourers in Odisha reveal revoked release certificates and weak state funding and accountability mechanisms [1].
Timeline
1976 – The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act is enacted, defining forced labour tied to debt or caste and establishing the legal framework later celebrated for its 50th anniversary [1].
2011 – The Socio‑Economic Caste Census records 8,304 rescued bonded labourers in Odisha and 165,000 nationwide, providing the latest official data on the issue but no subsequent follow‑up is conducted [1].
2012 – Jayaraj Jagat and his wife are rescued from a Tamil Nadu brick kiln; they receive a one‑time ₹19,000 each but later return to brick‑kiln work in Telangana because sustainable support is absent [1].
2014 – Telangana’s cultivated land stands at 1.31 crore acres; the state later launches the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project and Mission Kakatiya to expand irrigated area [2].
2016 – The Central Sector Scheme guarantees up to ₹30,000 immediate relief and graded assistance of ₹1‑3 lakh for rescued bonded labourers, yet many eligible workers still await these benefits [1].
2017 – Dambarudhar Majhi’s family is rescued from a Karnataka poultry farm; promised rehabilitation aid never materialises, illustrating systemic neglect [1].
2022‑23 – Telangana’s net sown area reaches 52.61 % of 276.95 lakh acres, reflecting rapid agricultural expansion that fuels demand for migrant farm workers [2].
FY 2023 – Cultivated land in Telangana grows to 2.21 crore acres, up from 1.31 crore acres in 2014, intensifying labour shortages that migrants fill [2].
Early 2025 – Panchanan Muduli flees a Hyderabad poultry farm, is forced into 15‑hour days on an Andhra Pradesh fishery farm, and is rescued in Telangana under the 1976 Act, but receives no assistance and migrates again with his family [1].
Nov 2025 – Muduli and his family settle on a brick kiln in Telangana, highlighting the cycle of exploitation that persists despite legal rescue [1].
2025‑26 – Activist Baghambar Patnaik files petitions for 1,472 released bonded labourers across Odisha, exposing that many release certificates are revoked and rehabilitation never follows, prompting calls for stronger state accountability [1].
Feb 2026 – The Bonded Labour Act turns 50; Umi Daniel of Aid et Action warns, “Postponed financial assistance pushes rescued workers back into bondage,” emphasizing the gap between law and implementation [1].
Feb 2026 – Ravi Kanneganti of Rythu Swarajya Vedika says, “Mechanisation and monocropping have cut local agricultural workdays, making migrant labour essential for our farms,” underscoring the structural shift in labour demand [2].
Feb 2026 – B. Kondal Reddy notes, “Migrant workers remain outside formal safety nets and rely on pooled funds for emergencies,” highlighting their vulnerability despite their critical role [2].
2026 onward – Digital platforms enable skilled migrant teams, such as Chinna’s pruning crew, to secure seasonal contracts across Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, indicating a growing mobility of farm labour even as social‑security provisions stay absent [2].