Maharashtra govt to crack down on fake Mathadi workers: Minister

Akash Phundkar's remarks come amid growing discontent among industry bodies over the alleged misuse of the Mathadi Act.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government will take strict action against the growing menace of fake Mathadi workers and is planning a digital overhaul of the registration process of the head-loaders, Labour Minister Akash Phundkar has said.

The administration is developing a robust verification mechanism to identify and weed out fake workers, who are actually "extortionists in disguise". This includes linking Mathadi worker registrations with Aadhaar, biometric attendance systems and employer verification, the minister told PTI.

The government will not tolerate fraudulent elements exploiting the system at the cost of genuine labourers and industry stakeholders, he said.

Phundkar's remarks come amid growing discontent among industry bodies over the alleged misuse of the Mathadi Act.

The Maharashtra legislature last month passed the Maharashtra Mathadi, Hamal and Other Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) (Amendment) Bill, defining manual work as a “core activity” for the welfare of head-loaders and porters, removing ambiguity in the type of work which will remove bogus workers.

"Over the years, the number of fraudulent Mathadi workers -- those who are not actually engaged in manual labour but have obtained bogus registrations -- has increased significantly. These individuals have created an atmosphere of fear and extortion in several industrial regions of the state," Phundkar said.

"We are committed to protecting the genuine Mathadi workers, but will not allow fake ones to hijack the system," he said.

The Mathadi system, governed under the Maharashtra Hamal, Mathadi and other Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act, was created to protect manual workers engaged in loading and unloading activities.

The noble objectives of the Act are, however, being diluted by misuse, leading to chaos in labour markets and added costs for industries, the minister noted.

He said complaints have been received from various districts, including Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

"Several businessmen and entrepreneurs have approached us, saying they are forced to employ Mathadi workers who neither turn up for work nor contribute to the actual labour. This has increased financial strain and disrupted the business environment," he said.

The minister, without taking any name, accused a section of union leaders and politically connected individuals of backing these fake registrations.

"These so-called Mathadi workers are actually extortionists in disguise. We will not allow the Act to be misused for personal gain or political influence," he added.

To address the issue, the government is planning a digital overhaul of the registration process, Phundkar said.

The administration is developing a robust verification mechanism to identify and weed out fake workers. This includes linking Mathadi worker registrations with Aadhaar, biometric attendance systems and employer verification, he said.

Additionally, the labour department will conduct district-level audits of all Mathadi boards. A high-level committee will be constituted to reassess the existing registrations and terminate those found illegitimate, the minister said.

"We are not targeting the Mathadi community; in fact, we aim to empower the genuine workers. But we must clean up the system to do that," he stressed.

The minister also hinted at bringing new policy reforms and amending the existing regulations if required.

The government is committed to balancing the labour rights with industrial growth and investor confidence. "Investors should not be harassed. The law should serve both the workers and businesses fairly," he said.

"This government stands with the honest worker and honest businessman. We will neither tolerate bogus workers nor allow harassment of industries. Strict action will follow," the minister added.