Monthly Archives: January 2014

Govt. approve POSCO project – An attack on the people and environment

11 Saturday Jan 2014

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The approval of the Environment Ministry for the Posco Steel Plant in Odisha in a serious attack on the people of Odisha and a dangerous clearance which is liable to have serious environmental dangers as also miseries to thousands of poor families.
The Rs. 52,000 crore Posco Steel Plant project by the South Korean Company has been completely opposed by the people of the area and the environmentalists and NGOs. Though proposed some eight years back, it could not proceed much since the Government of india did not give environment clearance due to the strong opposition.
The new environment minister Veerappa moily seems to be in a hurry to give environment clearance to all such projects before the general elections. He has already given such clearances to two power projects, two coal mines and a port with in a few weeks of his taking over the ministry, without any consideration for the environmental and people issues.
Such hazardous and anti-people decisions should be strongly resisted and defeated.

Disinvestment of PSUs in a new Avatar

11 Saturday Jan 2014

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The UPA II Government in its last phase of rule, with only a few months left for general elections is moving for a new method of disinvestment. Due to strong opposition from the unions, the government has not been able to disinvest in some of the rich PSUs.Only Rs.3,000 crore could be mopped up disinvestment so far, although the target was Rs.40,000 crore. Now without direct disinvestment, the shares are being diverted to the market for exchange etc. Just before the elections, the government want to satisfy the corporates from which about 70% of the election fund is mopped up. This new decision should be completely opposed.

The report published in the Business Line is reproduced here for more details.

ETF of PSUs set for launch in a month

NEW DELHI, JAN 10:
Soon investors can boast of a portfolio consisting of shares of 11 blue-chip Central Public Sector Enterprises without any risk considerations. An empowered Group of Ministers (eGoM) under the chairmanship of Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has approved the composition of the Central Public Sector Enterprises Exchange Traded Fund (CPSE-ETF).

Alternative

This fund will be used as an alternative to direct share sales of CPSEs. It will be listed on a stock exchange and trade like other shares on the bourse. Here, investors get the benefit of the constituent shares without directly owning it. Shares of companies, such as ONGC, Coal India, IndianOil and GAIL, would be among those that constitute the fund. Goldman Sachs has been assigned to manage the fund.

“It will be an open-ended scheme,” Disinvestment Secretary Ravi Mathur told reporters after the eGoM meeting here on Friday.

Mathur said a draft prospectus will be filed with the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India shortly. Once the approval is obtained, the scheme will be launched.

Difficult time

The fund is being launched at a time when the Government is struggling to meet the disinvestment target of Rs 40,000 crore. Till now, it has mopped up less than Rs 3,000 crore.

The Disinvestment Secretary did not provide any direct answer on the target shortfall, but said he hoped the companies that are not being divested will give special dividends. For example, Coal India has called a board meeting next week to take a call on dividend. Coal India was originally listed for disinvestment, but strong opposition from the unions forced the Government to back off. (Courtesy : Business Line)

(This article was published on January 10, 2014)
Keywords: Empowered group of ministers okays PSU exchange-traded fund, Coal India, CIL to be part of exchange-traded fund, 11 companies to be part of exchange-traded fund, PSU exchange-traded fund to raise Rs 3, 000 cr, Disinvestment Secretary Ravi Mathur, Central Public Sector Enterprises Exchange Traded Fund

CG Employees decides for 2 days strike

10 Friday Jan 2014

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The Central secretariat of the Confederation of Central Government Employees which met today, 10th January 2014 has decided to organise 2 days strike on 12th and 13th February on the demands already submitted to the Government and on which a massive dharna was conducted at Jantar Mantar on 9th January.
The demands include acceptance of the terms of reference for VII CPC suggested by the Confederation, regularisation of GDS and other long pending demands.

BSNL Unions Meet CMD at Raipur on Contract workers issues.

10 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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Both the Circle secretaries of BSNLEU and NFTE Chhattisgarh met the CMD Shri R.K.Upadhyay who was on tour at Raipur and discussed the issue of the casual/contract workers and the non-implementation of Corporate office orders by the Circle/SSA authorities. The CMD assured them that the matter will be looked in to. The letter given by the Staff Side, Circle Council is given below:

CIRCLE COUNCIL (STAFF SIDE)
CHHATTISGARH CIRCLE, RAIPUR
No. CCM/CORR/ Dated:-10/01/2014

To,
Shri R.K. Upadhyay
CMD, BSNL,
New Delhi.
( On visit to Chhattisgarh Circle )
(Through CGMT, C.G. Circle, Raipur)

Respected Sir,
We on behalf of Circle Council (Staff Side), heartily welcome your goodself on first visit of Circle. On the auspicious occasion of All India BSNL Basketball Tournament, being organised at Bhilai during 9th and 10th January 2014. Taking advantage of this occasion we respectfully wish to draw your kind attention towards certain issues which are centric to C.G. Circle.
(1) We wish to respectfully submit that more than 2000 Contract Workers are being inhumanly exploited by the Contractor, and some Executives. Neither Minimum Wage is paid nor Social Security measures like EPF/ESI implemented, laboures are paid much less than what is due to them after continued persuation by the Unions, Orders were got issued by the Corporate Office on minimum wage, social security measures and procedures for payment etc. But unfortunatly C.G. Circle/ SSA managements conveniently shy away from its responsibility to implements Order as Pricipal Employer as per Government Acts and instructions. Very recently EPF Commissioner,Chhattisgarh Region, Raipur passed a verdict directing BSNL management to deposit Two Crores Seventy Nine Lacs towads EPF contributions, as because verdict was brazenly ingnored by the management, many Bank accounts of SSA heads reportedly freezed by the EPF authority. It is noteworthy that print and electronic media have widely highlighted the lapses of BSNL authority as a Principal Employer. Kindly look in to the matter and ensure that orders/ instructions issued by the Corporate Office are implemented and clear and strong communication may please be made to C.G. Circle to ensure that Labour Laws and issues are dealt with extreme sensitivity and caution. It would not be out of place to urge that responsibility for such violation of labour laws may kindly be fixed to stop recurrence of such lapses.
……………..
We shall be highly obliged if aforesaid issues are considered sympathetically in the interest of Workforce and Company.

With Regards,

(S.M. Chilamwar) (S.C. Bhattacharya)
Leader, Staff Side & Secretary, Staff Side &
C.S., NFTE BSNL C.S., BSNLEU

Circle Conference of BSNLCCWF, W.Bengal on 11-12 January.

10 Friday Jan 2014

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All arrangements are being made for the holding of the 7th Circle Conference of W.Bengal on 11-12 January 2014. All india leaders including President, Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, will be attending the same.
W.Bengal is one of the circles, which started organising the Casual and Contractual workers very early. Under the leadership of Coms. Animesh Mitra, Circle secretary BSNLEU(Dy GS BSNLEU also) and Tapas Ghosh, Circle secretary BSNLCCWF (who is also the Secretary General), the organisation has become strong and has been able to settle many issues.
But the major issue, Regularisaion of the 2270 casual labour in the circle, is still pending due to the adamant attitude and unacceptable plea of the BSNL management that they can not be regularised in view of the judgment of the SC in the matter.
The Circle conference will discuss all these matters and take suitable decisions.
Best Wishes to the success of the Circle Conference!

Delhi: Anti-Corruption Helpline gets thousands of calls

10 Friday Jan 2014

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The reports in the media state that the Anti-Corruption Helpline started by the AAP Government in Delhi has received 4,000 calls in the first 7 hours.
It shows that the people have started reporting corruption complaints with out fear. But it seems that all the complaints received are not of corruption but also other complaints.
More important is not the number of complaints that is received, but it is the number of complaints on which action is immediately taken and the culprits booked.
Being the capital of the country and the power centre, corruption is at the highest in Delhi. People are faced with corruption and favouritism every where. If the AAP move can at least reduce it, it will be a great relief to the common people.

Coal Gate: Govt. admits “Some thing has gone wrong”

10 Friday Jan 2014

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The Central Government was compelled to admit in the Supreme Court that “Something has gone wrong”in the allocation of the Coal Blocks, while the hearing was going on yesterday, 9th January. Attorney General G.Vahanvati stated the same for the government.
The government had no other alternative to admit wrong doing in the face of umpteen evidences, both oral and by records.
The central government’s move to put the state governments also in the scam was completely opposed by all the concerned state governments including those ruled by the Congress, stating that it was entirely the responsibility of the former to allot the blocks and the latter have no role in the same.
The UPA government has been in the middle of so many scams involving lakhs of crores of rupees including the 2G Scam. The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been presiding over a scam tainted government. In the Coal Gate Scam, the Prime minister himself was the Coal Minister.

GoM decides Refund of Spectrum Charges to BSNL, MTNL

10 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, PSU, Telecom

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The Group of Ministers(GoM) on Revival of BSNL which met yesterday, 9th January 2014, presided by Finance Minister P.Chidambaram, decided to refund the Spectrum Charges to BSNL and MTNL. BSNL will get a refund of Rs. 6,724.51 crore and MTNL Rs. 4,533.97 crore.
The charges are being refunded for the surrender of spectrum by BSNL for Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kolkata and both Delhi and Mumbai for MTNL.
This has been one of the long pending demand of both the PSUs since the spectrum allotted to them was not technically and financially viable in the above areas.
“The refund will be made to ensure support for the revival and revitalisation of BSNL and MTNL in the competitive telecom sector. It shall also help these PSUs to arrange finances to meet basic financial commitments such as operation and maintenance of their telecom network,” the GoM stated.
The Joint Forum of BSNL/MTNL Unions/Associations has been continuously pressurising the DOT and the Government to refund these charges, which will help the PSUs to reduce their loss and utilise the funds for development. It had also submitted detailed memorandum to the GoM on this subject.
This is not charity, but only refund of the money for the surrender of the airwaves, which the government can again auction for mopping up funds.
The GoM has to take decisions still on the demand of the Joint Forum to mandate all the Central and state Governments and their PSUs that they should use BSNL/MTNL services. The proposal is already with the Government. Another major demand is to waive the Licence Fee for these government companies.
Our pressure should continue in these matters.

Govt. on the move for FDI in Railways.

09 Thursday Jan 2014

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The government is proposing to bring FDI in Railways in a big way. So far, no FDI has been allowed. At last, the privatisation process is going to start in the biggest industry/service in the country.
The MNCs and Indian big corporates have been pushing the government in a big way to allow them to enter the Railways.
The details will be known in a few days. FDI in railways is going to increase the fares, without any doubt.

AP High Court suspends privatisation of Nizam Sugars Ltd.

09 Thursday Jan 2014

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HYDERABAD, JAN. 9:
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has suspended an Andhra Pradesh Government order that constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) to review the course of action to be taken on the privatisation of Nizam Sugars Limited.

Acting on a public interesting litigation (PIL) filed by M Appi Reddy, Convenor of Nizam Sugars Protection Committee and others, the court has asked the State Government not to take any action on the privatisation of the sugar factory till it took a final view on the issue.

The GoM comprised Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Major Industries and Sugar Minister J Geetha Reddy and Minister for Major and Minor Irrigation P Sudarshan Reddy. The Committee filed the PIL, challenging the GO (issued in December 2013).

The privatisation of Nizam Sugars Limited is one of the several issues on the agenda of pro-Telangana activists. The sugar factory, based in Nizamabad district, was set up by the Nizams about 80 years ago and went on to make profits till the end of the century. But the then Telugu Desam Government had decided to privatise the factory after it began to post losses.

“The High Court bench that heard the PIL directed the Government not to take any action on the PIL it further orders,” Chikkudu Prabhakar, Counsel for the petitioner, told Business Line.

Various Telangana political parties and organisations have threatened to launch an agitation, demanding the government to nationalise the sugar factory. (Business Line)