SC berates Centre’s “lackadaisical” attitude in establishing portal for registration of unorganised workers; calls it “unpardonable”

THE Supreme Court Tuesday berated the Central Government for the delay in putting in place a portal for the registration of unorganized workers.

"When the unorganized workers are waiting for registration and are waiting to reap the benefit of various welfare schemes of the States and Centre, the apathy and lackadaisical attitude by the Ministry of Labour and Employment is unpardonable", a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and MR Shah said.

The bench said there was urgency in the portal to be finalized and implemented looking to the pandemic and dire need of unorganized workers to receive the benefit.

The Supreme Court on 21.08.2018 had directed the Ministry of Labour and Employment to make available a module to the states and Union Territories for the purpose of registration.

The "Ministry is not alive to the concern of the migrant workers and the non-action of the Ministry is strongly disapproved", the court said, directing the Central Government as well as states and Union Territories to complete work on the portal for the registration under the National Database for Unorganised Workers (NDUW) project as well as implement the same, "which by all means may commence not later than 31.07.2021."

The court has also called for a compliance report from the Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

It added that the process of registration of unorganized labourers and migrant workers would have to be completed at the earliest, but not later than December 31 this year.

The order came to be passed in a suo motu case concerning the migrant crisis due to Covid19.

The Court also directed all states that have not implemented the 'one nation one ration scheme' to do so by July 31, 2021.

It also directed that community kitchens continue to provide food to migrant workers till the pandemic is over.

Also Read: SC asks states to implement 'one nation one ration scheme' by July 31; Community kitchens to run till pandemic is on