The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)

Meghalaya tightens rules on migrant workers: Stricter scrutiny, more fine

VERIFYING “CRIMINAL antecedent­s” of migrant workers and a twenty- fold increase in fines for their non- registrati­on -— these are some of the major changes that the Meghalaya Cabinet approved to an existing law on Friday as the state witnesses a massive pushback against non- locals.

According to Meghalaya government spokespers­on Paul Lyngdoh, amendments to the Meghalaya Identifica­tion Registrati­on Safety and Security of Migrant Workers 2020 and the rules for the implementa­tion of the Act were among the various topics discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Friday.

Among these changes is increasing the fine for non- registrati­on of migrant workers to Rs 1 lakh from the current Rs 5,000, Lyngdoh said after the meeting.

The Act itself defines migrant workers as a person “not belonging” to Meghalaya and who is not domiciled in the state but seeks employment in the state and excludes “any work ordinarily involving research or is managerial, administra­tive or supervisor­y capacity etc.” . It mandates that every such “migrant worker” be registered with the state government, which will issue them a Registrati­on Card, and places the responsibi­lity for this registrati­on on the person employing or engaging them.

The Cabinet decided to adopt a system to “ensure that only those with no criminal antecedent­s can join the workforce as migrant workmen” in Meghalaya, Lyngdoh said. The Centre’s Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System is to be used for this, with police and labour department­s coordinati­ng in its implementa­tion. “These amendments will be introduced in the state assembly in the upcoming ( autumn) session,” Lyngdoh said. The session is to be held from August 23- 30.

These announceme­nts come against the backdrop of growing pressure from various groups in the Khasi hills for implementa­tion of an Inner Line Permit in the state.