Mysuru:  In-charge ZP President S.R. Nandeesh held a review meeting on the rehabilitation facilities extended to rescued bonded labourers of the district, at the ZP Hall here yesterday morning.

S.R. Nandeesh chaired the meeting in his capacity as the President of the District Bonded Labourers Rehabilitation Committee. The meeting took stock of the rehabilitation and financial assistance extended to rescued bonded labourers of the district since 2011-12. Officials at the meeting, said that 253 bonded labourers were rescued in H.D. Kote taluk in 2011-12 and each of them was extended financial assistance of Rs. 18,21,600. Also, all of them were suitably rehabilitated and houses have been built for them, they said.

Continuing, the officials said that in 2012-13, a total of 118 bonded labourers (89 in H.D. Kote taluk, 9 in Hunsur taluk and 20 in Periyapatna taluk) were rescued with the help of NGOs. The District Administration has sent Rs.40.16 lakh proposal to the Government for payment of Rs.1,000 per month to each of the rescued bonded labourers and measures have been taken for their rehabilitation.

Also, a total of 71 bonded labourers (2014-15 and 2015-16) were freed in H.D. Kote taluk and each of them were paid Rs.5,000 as temporary relief.

The District Administration has sent a Rs.88.04 lakh-proposal to the Government for providing shelter to them, the officials said.

In 2017, eight bonded labourers were rescued in Hunsur taluk and each of them was paid Rs.5,000 as temporary relief. The Rehabilitation Committee has sent a Rs.9.92 lakh-proposal to the Government for providing rehabilitation to them. In 2018, 19 bonded labourers were rescued in H.D. Kote taluk and another proposal has been sent to the Government for sanctioning funds to meet the cost of their rehabilitation, the officials explained.

The meeting resolved to write to the Government for immediate release of funds for providing appropriate rehabilitation facilities to all the rescued bonded labourers in the district. DC Abhiram G. Sankar, ZP CEO K. Jyothi, ZP Deputy Secretary Shivakumaraswamy, CAO Nagaraj Murthy, Chief Planning Officer K.J. Prabhuswamy, Assistant Secretary Manoj Kumar and other officials attended the meeting.