Vidhayak Sansad

The release and rehabilitation of approximately 1,500 bonded laborers in Thane district. Our movement led to the effective implementation of The Bonded Labour System Abolition Act, a law that only existed on paper until then.

Effective implementation of The Minimum Wages Act. Agricultural laborers are now earning a daily wage of up to Rs. 150 in Thane District, though the official minimum wage is only Rs. 68

Stopping forcible eviction of tribals from forestland and securing land rights for more than 7000 tribal families. Now they are treated as legal landholders by the government and the benefits of government programs reach them.

Building a grassroots organization of 30,000 tribals, dalits, unorganized laborers, and other deprived sections of society. Development of trained and committed leadership, especially from among the youth population of Maharashtra.

Election of ex-bonded labourers and their sons and daughters to Panchayat Raj Institutions (local self-government) from village to district levels. Those who were exploited for generations are now representatives of the people and taking decisions for the development of their communities.

Successful implementation of the Bhonga school model for the education of migrant workers' children at brick kilns. The program has benefited more than 30,000 children in Thane district over the last 13 years. The National Child Labour Society, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and the Maharashtra Government have accepted the program as a model for wider implementation.

Successful campaign for the declaration of the Mahatma Phule Education Guarantee for deprived children. The Guarantee includes a separate component for the children of seasonal migrant workers' children.

A model residential school for girls from the exploited Katkari tribe, which has a female literacy rate of 1%.

A successful campaign for the inclusion of Jatropha cultivation as a part of the government's Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS). Since 2006 more than two crore rupees have been distributed to tribals under EGS for Jatropha cultivation.