Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is one of the biggest PSUs of the Government of Kerala. It is running thousands of buses through out Kerala as also to nearby states like Karnataka and T.Nadu. It has got thousands of committed workers, who want to serve the people. It has got strong unions of workers. The LDF government is giving all assistance to KSRTC. It has got multi-floor buildings in many important cities in the state which can be given for rent. Kerala people like PSU and will support any action for improvement of the same.

Then why is it running on loss? The Management as well as the workers and the government have to sit together and find out why it is in loss? Where is the hitch which make the PSU loss making? An action plan for improving and making KSRTC profitable or at least no-profit , no-loss basis should be achieved.

Kerala LDF government has made many impossible things in to possible. Why not in the case of KSRTC?

NO TIME FRAME FOR WAGE NEGOTIATIONS IN CPSEs- MINISTER’S REPLY IN PARLIAMENT ON 02-01-2018
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND
PUBLIC ENTERPRISES (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) & (b): Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has issued guidelines vide OM No.W-02/0015/2016-DPE(WC)-GL-XXIV/17 dated 24th November, 2017 conveying the decision of the Government that the 8th round of wage negotiations (which falls due on general basis from 01.01.2017) with the workers of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) may be undertaken by the Managements of the Enterprises with their Trade Unions/Associations.

(c) & (d): As per guidelines, management of the CPSEs would be free to negotiate wage revision for workmen where the periodicity of wage settlement of five years or ten years has expired generally on 31.12.2016 keeping in view the affordability and financial sustainability of such wage revision for the CPSEs.

However, no time frame has been laid down in the guidelines issued by the Government for completion of wage negotiations by the management of CPSEs with Trade Unions/Associations.

2018 is born out of the womb of 2017, which heralded umpteen struggles of the working men all over the country.

And 2018 is going to be the Year of Struggles by the senior citizens, retirees and the pensioners. While the aged, the senior citizens and the pensioners are to be provided with social security and all help to pass over their advance age period, the central government is taking away their rights. Statutory pension is being replaced by contributory pension for government employees, the eligibility for EPF is proposed to be withdrawn for those workers if the strength is below 300 in the company, health insurance and medical facilities are being restricted and the safety of aged from thieves and their own families are being compromised. The state of aged widows are pitiable.

Yes, this unhappy situation can not be allowed to continue. Struggle is the only way to ensure our rights as senior citizens. Special consideration should be ensured for journey, health, treatment, recreation, safety etc. Let the new year be a year of struggle and unity.

According to the statistics published in Hindu today about the number of tax payers in India, there are only one lakh tax payers whose taxable income is more than Re. one crore. At the same time there are 100 crore persons who are paying Income Tax at the level of Rs. 2.5 lakh income. Most of these persons are government / public employees as also engaged by private companies etc. Since the income tax is cut at the base itself all such employees are tax payers.

But what about the corporates and big business? All over India, out of crores of crorepatis, only one lakh is paying the income tax, thus cheating the government. It is not that the government is not aware of these tax evaders, but the unholy alliance of corporates, bureaucracy and political powers manage in such a way that no action is taken.

Neither the BJP nor the Congress Government ever wanted to catch these tax evaders. They only want to tax the workers and the lower strata.

We have pointed out at the time of starting of revenue sharing itself that it will be misused. Not only the government lost more than Rs.100 crore at the initial stage itself, every year it is losing due to the understatement of revenues by the private telecom operators.
The latest is that the CAG has given report pointing about the understatement of revenues of about Rs. 14,800 crore by Tata Teleservices, Telenor, Videocon Telecom, Quadrant and Reliance. The CAG report was presented to the Parliament. Accordingly DOT is expected to issue notice for Rs. 2,578 crore demand on the telcos for payment due to the government. Rs. 2,578 crore.

The Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) is being started from the 1st January 2018. It is hoped that this new cadre will improve the administration, provide better service to people and benefit the employees. Efforts on the part of all is required for its success.

MY BEST WISHES AND NEW YEAR GREETINGS TO ALL MY FRIENDS, COMRADES AND WELL WISHERS! LET THE NEW YEAR 2018 BE A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY YEAR!

It seems that a large number of people are mentally adjusted to violation of rules, even when it is easy to follow them. Take for example the traffic rules. It is compulsory to wear helmet for riding two-wheeler, for their own safety. But in many cases, it is violated, even when the helmets are available with them. In road junctions, traffic rules are violated, by moving forward even when red light is there. Buses are not stopped at the bus stop and the people have to run to board it. It is a running race by private buses, violating almost all rules and endangering safety of the passengers and the pedestrians.

Corruption has become rampant. There is almost no area, where this dirty practice is absent.

The ordinary people are silent and suffer. The affluent and the powers that are, take the violation of rules as granted and enjoy violating it.

Society has to change so that law abiding become natural and part of life. Of course, when the law turns against the people, there will be resistance and should be.

Censor Board of India has granted permission to release the film ‘Padmavathi’ with change of name to ‘Padmavath’ and 5 modifications / cut. The changes are made along with the condition that before screening, an announcement should be made stating that it is not based on history. These conditions and restrictions are based on false premises and are completely against the freedom of expression. It is clear that there is full backing of the BJP government to such restrictions.

Mahabharatha and Ramayana are the greatest two epics of Hinduism. There are hundreds of variations to both written by great saints and authors. All are well read and appreciated. The epics or history is written according to the available information and also the view point of the author. The idea of god itself was denied by certain writers of earlier ages. Cinemas are produced and novels / stories written with partial historical facts and further imagination. ‘Davinci Code’ and such famous novels are example. Of course, the Christian Church organised seminars explaining their position, but there was no demand to ban it.

Intolerance to different opinions and expressions and suppression of the same is unsuitable in a democratic society.