SHILLONG, July 23: Over 93,000 labourers from outside the state have registered themselves in Meghalaya under a new legislation that seeks to identify them and ensure their safety and welfare, an official said on Wednesday.
The registration drive is being carried out under the Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act, 2020.
A total of 93,282 migrant workers have been registered under the Act, they said.
East Khasi Hills has reported the highest number of registrations at 41,242, followed by East Jaintia Hills with 29,932.
Figures for other districts include 10,138 in Ri-Bhoi; 3,575 in West Jaintia Hills; 3,820 in West Khasi Hills; 2,858 in South West Khasi Hills; 782 in West Garo Hills; 372 in North Garo Hills; 326 in South Garo Hills; 183 in East Garo Hills, and 55 in South West Garo Hills.
The registration process, which began in 2021, was introduced to ensure the safety and rights of migrant workers in the state, the official said.
A nominal fee of Rs 50 is charged for registration, and workers are required to renew their labour cards every six months.
The Labour department collected a total of Rs 93.28 lakh in registration fees in 2024 alone.
Recently, the state Assembly passed an amendment to the Act, increasing penalties for non-compliance from Rs 5,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
The amendment also mandates stricter screening of migrant workers using the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS), the official added. (PTI)
