Process of registration of migrant workers needs to be expedited: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday said the process of registration of migrant workers is very slow and it must be expedited so that benefit of schemes can be extended to them amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

While stressing on the need to register migrant workers, the apex court said the benefit of schemes can be extended to them after they are identified and registered by authorities.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah said the government must ensure that benefit of schemes reach beneficiaries, including migrant workers, and the process must be monitored and supervised.

The top court said it is not satisfied with the efforts of the Centre as well as the states on the issue of registration of workers in unorganised sectors.

The bench was hearing an application filed by three activists who have sought directions to the Centre and states to ensure food security, cash transfers, transport facilities and other welfare measures for migrant workers who are facing distress due to the curbs clamped in several parts of the country amid the pandemic.