SHILLONG, June 30: The Labour department has asserted that only it has the authority to check the character and antecedents of migrant labourers seeking employment in the state.
The statement from Principal Secretary of Labour department, GHP Raju has reference to frequent visits by the members of pressure groups to construction sites to check the documents of migrant labourers.
Stating that the department seeks feedback from the pressure groups if they find anything suspicious, he said nobody can challenge the authority of the state government.
As per the Meghalaya Identification Registration (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act 2020, the state government is now registering migrant labourers online and so far, more than 2,500 of them have registered themselves with the government. Most of them are from Assam.
Allaying fears, Raju said the Labour Department has the authority to request the police to conduct verification of the character and antecedents of the migrant labourers.
Asserting that no state can stop the migrant labourers and it is a global phenomenon, he said, “We have to accept that we need skilled manpower as we lack it.”
Meghalaya requires a suitable amount of manpower as many developmental projects are being implemented in the state.
Raju said the government is providing training to local youth in different trades across the state. For some trades, the training continues for one to two years, he said. “The online system is an excellent mechanism for the larger good of the society as well as for the safety of labourers,” Raju said pointing out that any contractor, who engages labourers without registering them with the government, is liable to be fined Rs 5,000.
Registration through the portal can be made from any part of the country or through the common service centers or a help desk at the registration office with a payment of Rs 50.
