Meghalaya Cabinet Clears Amendment To Migrant Workers Act 2020, Fine Raised To Rs 1 Lakh From Just Rs 5,000

Amid pressure groups and NGOs stepping up vigil against migrant workers in the state, the Meghalaya cabinet today approved amendment to the Meghalaya Identification, Registration, Safety and Security of Migrant Workers Act 2020 and the Rules 2020 and increased the fine manifold to a significant Rs one lakh from the earlier meagre amount of just Rs 5,000.

“Under the original Act of 2020, those found guilty of violating the Act were slapped with a fine of Rs 5,000. The cabinet today decided to increase the fine to Rs 1 lakh per offender and in case of repeat offenders, the guilty will be imprisoned for a maximum of 3 months. The Amendment will now be taken up at the upcoming Assembly session,” state Social Welfare, Tourism, Arts & Culture, Textiles minister Paul Lyngdoh said briefing the media after the cabinet meet.

The minister also said that the one of the main components of the new amendment is that the state government will optimise efforts to check the antecedents of the migrant workers to ensure that only those with no criminal antecedents can join the workforce as migrant workmen in the state.

“It would make use of a central system called Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System or the CCTNS, which will have a database of crimes and criminals. The system is available with police and the department of labour will coordinate accordingly to ensure that records of the registered migrant workers in Meghalaya are properly verified,” Lyngdoh added.

It may be mentioned here that the Meghalaya cabinet’s decision to amend the law and the rules comes in the backdrop of several recent incidents where migrant workers have been attacked and assaulted and several pressure groups and NGOs had stopped migrant workers and checked their documents including work permits.

On July 19, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma met a delegation of Khasi Students Union (KSU) and had assured compulsory registration of migrant workers in the state and that his Government would also look into the penalty provision as the KSU delegation had suggested that the penalty of just Rs 5000 is insufficient.

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