GANGTOK, : The State Labour department
has urged all labourers coming to Sikkim to register with the department as per
the Sikkim Labour (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act,
2021.
Addressing a press conference on
Monday, Labour secretary Raghul K. stated that under the Act, registration is
mandatory for all labourers, whether from the organised or unorganised sectors.
The required documents for registration include a Voter ID, Aadhaar Card and a
passport-sized photograph. A registration fee of Rs. 200
per person is applicable after which a labour card, which is valid for one
financial year, will be issued. Labourers must renew their registration
annually through the same process, he added.
For organised sectors and
labour contractors, the employer is responsible for registering their workers
and submitting labour data to the department monthly. Non-compliance with the
Act will result in a penalty of Rs. 2,500 per unregistered
labourer, the secretary said. He clarified that only registered labourers are
authorised to work in the State.
To ensure compliance, the
secretary said the department has enhanced labour registration efforts State-wide,
conducted coordination meetings with district officials and formed flying squads for monitoring and enforcement. He informed that
registration is available throughout the year at all Labour department district
offices, State entry points and checkpoints.
He also highlighted the
importance of maintaining a labour database, stating that it will help the
government extend welfare support during disasters, pandemics, or emergencies.
He cited the COVID-19 pandemic, during which a massive effort was required to
assist labourers returning to their native places. With a proper database, such
challenges can be managed more efficiently in the future, he added.
As of January 2025, a total of
18,995 labourers in the organised sector have been registered. Additionally,
16,000 labourers have been registered between September 2024 and January 2025.
“The labour card issued by the department should not be considered an identity
document, entry permit or any other kind of official document,” the secretary.
The Labour department is also
set to launch a website and mobile app to facilitate online self-registration
for labourers.
The press conference was also
attended by special commissioner K.R.Limboo.
