Bonded Labour Abolition Act 1976: 50 years of abolition law | Seychelles | Mangrove clam (Geloina erosa)

Bonded Labour Abolition Act 1976: 50 years of abolition law

Governance

Context

• February 9, 1976, marked an important milestone in equality in Indian society with the enactment of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act (BLSA).

Bonded Labour Abolition Act 1976

• Bonded labour (or debt bondage) is defined as a condition where money is lent in such a way that the debtor is forced to pay back through labour instead of money.
• It was enacted to give effect to Article 23 of the Constitution (prohibition of trafficking and forced labour).
• Bonded labour was deeply entrenched due to poverty, caste hierarchies, landlessness, and indebtedness.
• India ratified ILO Convention No. 29 (Forced Labour) in 1954, strengthening the legal obligation.

Objectives:

1. Abolish the bonded labour system.
2. Free bonded labourers and extinguish their debts.
3. Prevent economic and social exploitation.
4. Provide a legal framework for rehabilitation.

Seychelles

International Relations

Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $175 million Special Economic Package for Seychelles during the visit of Seychelles President Dr. Patrick Herminie to India.

Seychelles

• It is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar, known as Africa’s smallest and least populous country.
• Its capital is Victoria on Mahé island.
• Biodiversity: It is known for rare species like the Coco de Mer, the Aldabra giant tortoise, and the rare black parrot.

Mangrove clam (Geloina erosa)

Environment

In News

• ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute achieved a global first by inducing captive breeding of Geloina erosa (mangrove/mud clam), offering hope for restoring overexploited populations in Indian mangroves.

About

• Geloina erosa (also Polymesoda erosa) is a large bivalve (up to 10 cm shell width) inhabiting organic-rich, muddy intertidal zones of mangroves and estuaries across South and Southeast Asia.
• It is known locally as “Kandal Kakka” in northern Kerala.
• It acts as an efficient filter feeder, improving estuarine water quality through nutrient recycling.
• Its burrowing behaviour stabilises sediments, enhances nutrient cycling, and strengthens mangrove ecosystem resilience.