Abstract:
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In India, bonded labour is the most widely used method of enslaving people. This is the first survey-based study that describes the extent and characteristics of bonded labour in a whole state, Tamil Nadu. A stratified sample of 1,936 labourers in panchayat villages and 189 in town panchayats was drawn form 31 districts (excluding Chennai). Between September and November, 2014, 66 local enumerators interviewed over 9,000 labourers at or near their worksites in 11 different types of industries. Enumerators recorded the industry type and physical location of the site. Respondents estimated worksite size, demographic information, and information on working conditions (e. g. freedom of movement, freedom of employment, wage amount, and any receipt of an advance). Population estimates were obtained using SAS procedures for survey analysis. Results showed that 29.9% (N=463,000) of manual labourers working in the 11 industries surveyed are bonded. The level of bondage varied by type of industry, district, labourer demographics, and other factors.
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