Penalty for violating Migrant Workers Act increased to Rs 1 Lakh in Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 2, 2024

The state Cabinet on Friday approved the amendments to the Meghalaya Identification Registration Safety and Security of Migrant Workers Act and Rules, 2020, which seeks to check antecedents of migrant workers and enhance the penalty to Rs one lakh against offenders.

Addressing media persons, MDA spokesperson and cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh said, “The cabinet has approved the amendment to the Meghalaya Identification Registration Safety and Security of Migrant Workers (MIRSSMW) Act, 2020 and the same will be tabled in the upcoming Assembly’s session for its final approval.”

He said the proposed seeks to enhance the penalty from Rs 5,000 to Rs one lakh against those found violating the Act.

“In the case of repeat offenders, there will be a simple imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months,” Lyngdoh said.

He also informed, “One of the major components of the new amendment is that the state government will optimize efforts to check the antecedents of migrant workers to ensure that only those with no criminal antecedants can join the workforce as migrant workmen in Meghalaya. The cabinet decided that it would make use of a central system called CCTNS.”

“Under this system, which is a data based of the crimes and criminals, we will ensure that on the basis of this data available, we will be able to verify the antecedants of migrant workers and two, the local police will also be able to verify these antecedents based on this system. This system is available with the police and the department of labour will coordinate accordingly to ensure that the records of those who will be registered as migrant workers here in Meghalaya are properly verified,” Lyngdoh added.

Asked, Lyngdoh said, “We are verifying their antecedants so that they unnecessarily add to the crime graft of Meghalaya. If they have criminal records, which they have committed in their home state obviously such character will not be welcome to work.”

Stating that Meghalaya largely on migrant workers from outside, he said, “This is because there is a shortfall of local workers available and therefore, we anticipate that number will be significant enough that if we do not verify their antecedents, they will become a threat to the peace and security of Meghalaya.”

Lyngdoh further added, “Once this decision has been taken today, I am sure that this will allay the fears of illegal immigration to a large extent.”

According to him, two major components of people entering Meghalaya are either tourists or labourers.

“In the case of labourers, they tend to stay for a longer period of time, which is why we have introduced in today’s amendment in order to tighten the rule of law that would prevail over such a labour force,” he stated.