Lyngdoh had a meeting with the Khasi Students Union, Federation of Khasi-Jaintia Garo People, Garo Students Union and Jaintia Students Union to discuss ways and means to effectively check the influx of migrant workers who do not have valid documents to prove their nationality.
Lyngdoh told reporters after the meeting that the state government would soon issue a notification highlighting the new amended rules to the existing Inter-State Migrant Workmen Regulation Act, 1979 (amended in 1985), to implement the work permit system in the state.
He said the proposed task force would be empowered once the government notified the amendment to the existing workmen regulation act.
While the deputy commissioners will be the licensing authority at the district level, the labour commissioner will be the one at the state level.
Lyngdoh said so far the government has notified only about the registering authorities. The criminal antecedents of the workers will also be verified at the time of submitting application for licence or work permit according to the proposed amendment, which is yet to be notified as well.
The labour minister admitted that there is delay in the effective implementation of the existing act because of staff shortage in the department.
As the labour department is under-staffed, 252 more people are needed in the department to implement the work permit system.