GUWAHATI, Aug 1 - The State Legislative Assembly today passed �The Assam Private Placement Agencies for Recruitment of Workers (Regulation) Bill, 2019� to bring such agencies under formal government regulations.
As per the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill, it seeks to �provide for regulation of private placement agencies operating their business or willing to commence their business in the State of Assam for recruitment of workers and for the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto�.
As per its provisions, no person or private placement agency shall carry out or commence the business of private placement agency unless he or she holds a licence issued under this legislation, which will now become an Act once the Governor gives his assent to it.
Any private placement agency which was in operation before passage of this legislation will have to obtain a licence as required under the legislation within 90 days of the commencement of the Act.
Every application for grant of licence will have to be in prescribed format and there will have to be a fee of Rs 2,000 and bank guarantee of Rs 5 lakh.
A licence issued under it will remain valid for a period of one year and can be renewed with payment of the fee and fulfilment of other conditions.
The private placement agencies will have to furnish details of the employment of worker to the Controlling Authority within seven days from the date of employment within or outside the State.
It also prohibits employment, engagement and deployment of any worker below the age of 18 years. Every private placement agency will have to display a signboard outside its office showing the name of the agency and its license number.
Such agencies will have to maintain a register containing names, sex, permanent and corresponding address, photos, nature or work and other details of workers engaged by it, and also the names and addresses of the person and establishment and other details where the workers have been employed.
The agencies will have to ensure safe travel to and from the place of work to the residence of the worker and will have to ensure payment of government notified minimum wages vis-a-vis the scheduled employment applicable in the State where the worker is deployed through individual bank account of the worker.
The legislation also provides for punishment in case of violation or contravention of the provisions specified.
In addition, the Assembly also passed �The Assam Taxation (On Specified Lands) (Amendment) Bill, 2019� to keep �in abeyance� the levy, collection and payment of tax on green tea leaves for a period of three years from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021.
Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the passage of this Bill will provide a major relief to the State�s tea sector and small, medium as well as big growers will benefit from it.
The Assembly also passed �The Assam Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2019�. It adds three additional criteria with regard to eligibility, including minimum educational qualification, for a candidate contesting election as Commissioner of a Municipal Board of Assam.
As per the legislation, a candidate can now be disqualified if he or she has more than two living children (not applicable in respect of those persons who have more than two children prior to the date of commencement of the Act), and if he or she has not passed Class XII or equivalent examination (for general castes) and Class X or equivalent (for SC, ST, OBC and MOBC), and if he or she does not have a functional sanitary toilet in his or her residence premises.
The Legislative Assembly also passed �The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2019�. It exempts the Guwahati Municipal Corporation from the Assam Nagara Raj Act, 2007.
The legislation also adds certain criteria for candidates seeking to contest the GMC elections.
A candidate seeking to contest the GMC polls can now be disqualified if he or she has more than two living children (not applicable in respect of those persons who have more than two children prior to the date of commencement of the Act), and if he or she has not passed Bachelor�s degree or equivalent examination (for general castes) and Class XII or equivalent (for SC, ST, OBC and MOBC), and if he or she does not have a functional sanitary toilet in his or her residential premises.
The Assembly also passed �The Assam Repealing Bill, 2019� to repeal The Assam Criminal Law Amendment (Supplementary) Act, 1934.
In addition, the Legislative Assembly passed �The Societies Registration (Assam Amendment) Bill, 2019�, �The Assam Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2019�, �The Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2019�, and �The Assam Right to Public Services (Amendment) Bill, 2019�.
