Prestone wants registration of migrant labourers

SHILLONG: With the recent uproar over the issue of influx following NRC in Assam, the focus has shifted to contractors who bring in workers.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who is also holding the Labour portfolio, said contractors are being given the responsibility to register their labourers.
Speaking to a section of reporters on infiltration of migrant labourers, Tynsong said, “I am not aware of illegal migrant workers because the responsibility has been fixed on contractors who register. Labour department will not issue any permit if they don’t have proper documents.”
“We are talking about organised sector such as department of PWD, PHE, Water Resources and others who carry out civil works,” he said.
He added that the Labour department is not having any such problem as those who do not comply with the rules of the department, are not issued any documents.
The deputy chief minister said the Labour department has recruited an Inspector for each Block.
“These are the people who are supposed to check and find out whether the labourers are already registered in the Labour department or not”, he said.
Stating that the contractors are directed to register the labourers, Tynsong said, “Because labourers do not come directly, there has to be somebody who calls them”.
It is mandatory to bring the labour certificate issued by the Labour Commissioner by the contractors when they renew the registration or when they get their registration and this is one of the criteria, he added.
Tynsong said the role of the state government is confined to the Labour Act which is being carried out by the government.
Commenting on migrant labourers, Tynsong said the contractors may bring labourers from Assam or Bihar or from anywhere.
“But when they do that, they need to register their employees /labourers with the Office of the Labour Commissioner. The Inspector at the Block level who inspects a construction site will make sure to enquire about the labourers on whether they are from outside the state or not,” he added.
Contractors also need to register and renew their registration. Registered contractors should make sure that their labourers are well-identified be it within or outside the state, he said.