Meghalaya cabinet decides to amend Migrant Workers Act 2020

Shillong: In a significant move, the Meghalaya Cabinet has decided to amend the Meghalaya Identification, Registration, (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act 2020 and its accompanying rules.

This decision is a major victory for the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), which has long advocated for stricter measures to regulate migrant workers in the state.

The primary focus of the new amendment is to ensure thorough background checks on migrant workers, allowing only those with no criminal records to work in Meghalaya.

Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh announced on Friday that the Cabinet will utilize the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS), a comprehensive database of crimes and criminals, to verify the antecedents of migrant workers. This system will enable local police to cross-check the backgrounds of migrant laborers effectively. The Department of Labour will coordinate to ensure that the records are accurately verified.

The Cabinet has also decided to propose a significant increase in penalties for violations of the Act. Under the original 2020 Act, violators faced a fine of Rs 5,000 per individual.

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