Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Repeals and saving. The Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979 THE INTER-STATE MIGRANT WORKMEN (REGULATION OF EMPLOYMENT AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE) ACT, 1979 INTRODUCTION In Orissa and in some other States the system of employment of Inter-State migrant labour known as Dadan Labour is in vogue. In Orissa Dadan Labour is recruited from various parts of the State through contractors or agents called Sardars or Khatadars for work outside the State in large construction projects. At the time of recruitment Sardars or Khatadars promise that wages calculated in piece-rate basis would be settled every month but usually this promise is never kept. Once the worker comes under the clutches of the contractor, he takes him to a far-off place on payment of railway fare only. No working hours are fixed for these workers and they have to work on all the days in a week under extremely bad working conditions. The provisions of the various labour laws are not being observed in their case and they are subjected to various mal practices. The question of protection and welfare of Dadan Labour was considered by the Twenty- eighth Session of the Labour Ministers’ Conference held on 26th October, 1976 at New Delhi. It was recommended to set up a Compact Committee to go into the whole question and to suggest measures for eliminating the abuses prevalent in the system. Accordingly in February, 1977 the Compact Committee was constituted and it recommended, inter alia, that a separate Central legislation may be enacted to regulate the employment of inter- State migrant workmen as it was felt that the provisions of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, even after necessary amend-ments, would not adequately take care of the variety of mal practices indulged in by the contractors, Sardars or Khatadars. The recommendations of the Compact Committee were examined in consultation with the State Governments and the Ministries in the Government of India. Accordingly the Inter-State. Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill, 1979 was introduced in the Parliament. STATEMENT OF OBJECTSAND REASONS The system of employment of inter-State migrant labour (known in Orissa as Dadan Labour) is an exploitative system prevalent in Orissa and in some other States. In Orissa, Dadan Labour is recruited from various parts of the State through contractors or agents called Sardars/Khatadars for work outside the State in large construction projects. This system lends itself to various abuses. Though the Sardars promise at the time of recruitment that wages calculated on piece-rate basis would be settled every month, the promise isnot usually kept. Once the worker comes under the clutches of the contractor, he takes him to a far-off place on payment of railway fare only. No working hours are fixed for these workers and they have to work on all the days in a week under extremely bad working conditions. The provisions of the various labour laws are not being observed in their case and they are subjected to various malpractices.