West Bengal steps up fight against child, bonded labour; vows zero tolerance, frontline officials introduced to Navajeevan portal

Kolkata, August 29: In a major push to strengthen the State’s response to child labour and bonded labour, the Government of West Bengal on Saturday brought key stakeholders together for a State-Level Multi-Stakeholder Orientation, calling for a coordinated, accountable and victim-centred approach to combat these crimes.

Organised by the State Labour Department, the orientation sought to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and build a more effective and convergent response to cases of child labour and bonded labour across West Bengal.

Calling for zero tolerance towards exploitation, Smt. Rachna Bhagat, Secretary, Labour Department, Government of West Bengal, said every single complaint must receive a prompt, coordinated and sensitive response.

She stressed the need for stronger coordination among departments, appropriate rehabilitation measures, accountability mechanisms and effective prosecution to ensure that victims receive protection and justice.

“There should be zero tolerance towards exploitation. West Bengal should be a child labour- and bonded labour-free State,” she said.

Hon’ble Justice Shampa Sarkar, Judge, High Court at Calcutta and Chairperson, Juvenile Justice Committee, High Court, Calcutta, underlined the gravity of bonded labour, describing it as “the highest form of violence against human dignity and freedom.”

Emphasising the importance of clearly defined responsibilities among members of the task force and other stakeholders, Justice Sarkar said coordination was critical to ensuring that interventions did not stop at rescue.

“Prohibit, protect, rescue and rehabilitate this trajectory has to be completed,” she said, stressing that every stakeholder must understand their role in completing the chain of response. She also highlighted the expanded role of District Magistrates in rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

The orientation brought together stakeholders to strengthen understanding of the legal, institutional and operational mechanisms available to address labour exploitation.

A key focus of the orientation was the Ministry of Labour and Employment’s recently launched Navajeevan Data Portal, which is being adopted to strengthen the State’s system for documenting, tracking and monitoring cases of child and bonded labour. Officials and other stakeholders were oriented on the vision and features of the portal, including its dashboards and reporting mechanisms, through a live demonstration.

The portal is expected to support more systematic reporting and tracking of cases, strengthen coordination among stakeholders and improve monitoring and accountability across the response chain-from identification and rescue to protection and rehabilitation.

Participants also attended sessions on the legal provisions relating to bonded labour, child labour and victim protection, as well as the Standard Operating Procedures of the Labour Commissionerate and Labour Department for responding to cases. The programme also covered mandatory committees and procedures that need to be followed in addressing cases of child and bonded labour. International Justice Mission (IJM) provided technical support for the orientation.

The event is expected to contribute to a more coordinated State-wide mechanism for identification, rescue, protection and rehabilitation of children and adults trapped in exploitative labour conditions, while strengthening accountability and convergence among the departments and agencies responsible for the response. The orientation brought together officials from all 23 districts, including District Magistrates, police and labour officers, Sub-Divisional Officers, anti-human trafficking units, civil society groups, key State departments, legal services authorities, and multilaterals highlighting West Bengal’s commitment to addressing bonded labour.