By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Cabinet has approved the Meghalaya Child Labour Prohibition and Regulations Rules 2013, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma informed on Wednesday after a Cabinet meeting.
The approval of the rules was necessary in view of the commitment of the State Government to ensure the enforcement of all Acts passed by the Parliament.
Labour Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh informed media persons that the Department had invited suggestions in this regard but no suggestion had been received till date.
According to Lyngdoh, under the labour regulation rules, a young person has been defined as one ‘who is either a child or adolescent as per the Factory Act, 1948’.
In clear terms, any child under the age group of 14-18 years will be considered as a ‘young person’.
Nod to Cooperative Societies Bill
The State Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to the enactment of the Meghalaya Cooperative Societies Bill, 2013.
Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma informed reporters that the need for the new bill has arisen in view of the fact that the existing Meghalaya Cooperative Societies Act, 1976, is adopted from the Assam Cooperative Societies Act, 1950.
Though the Act has been amended on three occasions, there is a need to consolidate all amendments, the Chief Minister added.
According to Dr Sangma, the cooperative societies in the State must be mandated through the Legislature to make them vibrant since the 97th Amendment Act of the Constitution brought in changes which had to be mandatorily incorporated in the State Act by January, 2013.
“However when we examined the matter, it was felt that we should come out with a new bill instead of amending the old one,” the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister asserted that the bill has been designed to make cooperative societies much more attractive and also to provide them with ample scope to function like corporate houses.
