Shillong, Feb 18: Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Labour, Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday said the government is proposing to come up with a separate state Act to look into the matter of issuing of labour license and work permit to migrant labourers in the state.

“The law department has been asked to examine the proposal,” Tynsong told reporters while informing that the exercise is to ensure clarity on the matter, and that there is no clashes between laws passed by the Parliament and state legislature.

According to him, all these years, the autonomous district councils (ADCs) have been taking advantage of the situation by issuing labour licenses to migrant labourers who are coming to work in the state.

He said there is no provision in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India for the ADCs to issue labour license except for trading license, adding, “Labour license and trading license are totally different.”

To a question, Tynsong said, “I cannot say whether it is legal or illegal (for the ADCs to issue labour license). But I have asked my officers to go deeply into the matter in order to clear everything and to have clarity on this matter.”

The Deputy Chief Minister also said that at present, the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979 and Building and Other Constructions Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 are being implemented in the state.