[From the introductory text accompanying this report on the U.S. Department of State website: "In most cases, the Interim Assessment is intended to serve as a tool by which to gauge the anti-trafficking progress of countries that may be in danger of slipping a tier in the upcoming June 2010 TIP Report and to give them guidance on how to avoid a Tier 3 ranking. It is a tightly focused progress report, assessing the concrete actions a government has taken to address the key deficiencies highlighted in the June 2009 TIP Report. The Interim Assessment covers actions undertaken between the beginning of May – the cutoff for data covered in the June TIP Report – and November. Readers are requested to refer to the annual TIP Report for an analysis of large-scale efforts and a description of the trafficking problem in each particular country or territory."]

The Government of India has made progress in combating human trafficking since the release of the 2009 TIP Report. There are indications that the central government has made efforts to make trafficking, in particular sex trafficking, a priority. The Home Affairs Minister publicly called human trafficking a serious crime against humanity at the December 2009 launch of a book on trafficking. The Home Affairs Ministry expanded its anti-human trafficking cell, the central point for the ministry's anti-human trafficking coordination efforts, from six to 10 officers. In the fall of 2009 the ministry earmarked $440 million in funds for states to establish a computerized tracking and network system which would significantly improve the central government's ability to collect and disseminate anti-trafficking law enforcement data. The ministry also issued two advisories to state governments, strongly encouraging greater efforts against human trafficking.

State and municipal efforts to rescue victims from sex trafficking, child labor, and bonded labor, and arrest trafficking offenders continued throughout the country. There has been state and local partnership with NGOs and/or demonstrated intrastate and interstate cooperation. Chennai police rescued seven Bangladeshi women in 2009, and Andhra Pradesh police worked with Mumbai police to successfully rescue 19 girls and arrest five traffickers in November. The Anti-Trafficking Court of Maharashtra used the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA) to secure convictions in 81 cases against human traffickers in the past year. Central and state governments also conducted several initiatives to raise awareness about labor and sex trafficking, some in partnership with international organizations or NGOs. There were very few discernable efforts to confront corrupt officials who facilitate human trafficking, however. A more complete assessment of state and central government efforts will be available in the 2010 TIP Report.

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