By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government has registered a total number of 13,331 migrant workers who are employed in the State, till March 2013.
“The main purpose of registering migrant workers from outside the State is to have a record of their antecedents. With this registration they can now be easily tracked. Otherwise, it is extremely difficult to detect migrant workers if they are not registered,” Principal Secretary (Home) KS Kropha told reporters on Wednesday.
Kropha clarified that that no work permits have been issued to the migrant workers who have already been registered.
“We have made it mandatory for the contractors to register the migrant workers employed by them,” Kropha said.
He also informed that the Government has set up district task forces to detect and deport foreign nationals from the State.
“The function of the district task force is to conduct regular checking of illegal migrants, conduct special drives and regular surprise checking. Should the need arise, the frequency of such checking can be up-scaled,” Kropha said.
Meanwhile, All Meghalaya Contractors’ and Suppliers’ Associations (AMC&SA), while welcoming the decision to register all migrant workers from outside the State, have criticized the cumbersome process involved in the registration process.
AMC&SA president Gilbert G Laloo stressed on the need to implement a mechanism to speed up the verify process.
The contractors and suppliers have, meanwhile, extended support to the demand for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP).
