07 Sunday Dec 2014
Posted in Forum
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Lakhs of workers and common people participated in the Kolkata Rally organised by the 19 Left Parties on 6th December 2014, the 22 anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Mazjid day, protesting against Communalism and for Communal Harmony. The rally showed that all the Left parties have come together to protest against the communalist forces and have been able to mobilise large number of people for Communal Harmony.
This should continue and further strengthen.
07 Sunday Dec 2014
Posted in General
There are 4.5 crore unemployed in the country who have registered in the Employment Exchanges and waiting for job, according to a reply given in the Parliament on 4th December 2014.
This is but only a small part of the unemployed in the country. There are many more who have not registered. Earlier the jobs in the government were increasing and there was expectation among the unemployed that today or tomorrow they may get a job in Government. That is almost gone now, since the jobs in the government are being reduced continuously. Many of the government departments have been privatised, jobs are reduced and the vacancies are not filled up. Government is gradually withdrawing from many of its responsibilities.
Take the case of Department of Telecom. There were six lakh workers twenty years back. Service section of DOT was corporatised in to BSNL in 2000, when there were 3,50,000 employees. Within the next 14 years, it has been reduced to about 2,35,000. More than 50% staff has been reduced.
This is the position with Department of Posts, Railways, Defence and other central government establishments.
It is reported in the press that a person who has registered in the employment exchange 30 years back got the job and within a short period retired. He could not any pension since he did not have the minimum service for the same.
The case will be worse now. There will be lakhs of people who will never get a job and will ‘retire’ even with out a job. What is the government going to do to improve the worst situation?
06 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in BSNL News
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In the last financial year 2013-14 BSNL is in loss of Rs. 7019.76 crore. This is the fourth consecutive year BSNL is in loss. The only consolation is that the loss is slightly less than last time, which was Rs. 7884.44 crore.
Another welcome factor is that while only one circle, Kerala, was in profit in 2012-13, there are three circles this time, Kerala, J and K and Odisha. Profit of Kerala is Rs. 396.80 crore, J and K Rs. 9.37 crore and Odisha Rs. 5.16 crore.
The salary bill which was almost the same for the last three years have increased by about by Rs. 1,700 crore mainly due to the increase in wages after the implementation of 78.8% IDA merger for the employees w.e.f. 10-06-2013.
We congratulate the above three circles which had made profit. We hope that all other circles also will make maximum efforts to ensure profit in this financial year. Nothing is impossible.
06 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in TU News - India
After the massive protest action, ‘National Protest Day’ on 5th December, observed through out India and specially in the capital city, New Delhi, the leaders of the 11 Central Trade Union, who organised the same, stated that they will meet by the end of December 2014 and plan the next programme of action, may be strike also.
The struggle against the anti-worker, anti-people policies of the government has to continue without any break. The brutal attack on the livelihood of the people are continuing by the Government. it has got to be exposed and defeated by the united strength of the working class and the people.
06 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in General
It is reported that a meeting of the Chief Ministers is scheduled on 6th December 2014, in which the structure of the new organisation in lieu of Planning Commission will be placed by the Central Government. The Prime Minister will be discuss the structure with the CMs.
After the Planning Commission was dissolved in May 2014 consequent to the statement of the PM to that effect, there was a vacuum.
06 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in Obituary, Tributes
Tags
Today, 5th December 2014, is the 58th death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, the iconic figure who fought his entire life for the upliftment of the dalits. His life itself was a struggle against injustice.
Dr. Ambedkar was an organiser, administrator, agitator and a great leader of the country. His contribution in preparing the Constitution of the free India is well known.
We pay our respectful homage to the memory of Dr. Ambedkar on his 58th death anniversary!
06 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in WORLD NEWS
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135 countries have already recognised the Palestine State, as per Palestinian Authority. France, Britain, Spain, Ireland and Sweden have recognised them recently.
But the US, Israel etc. are still adamant and have not recognised so far. Israel is still continuing the attack against the Palestine people now and then. It wants to capture further area from Palestine.
The anti-Palestine attitude of US and its chamchas should be condemned.
06 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in General
Socialist Cuba is a small island nation with 1.1 crore population, which is under economic blockade by the US and other imperialist countries for the last five decades or more putting it under great pressure.
But it is the country which has been in the forefront of helping the West Africa, affected by the fatal Ebola disease. There are already 256 doctors and nurses and another 200 volunteers are already on the way. One of the Cuban doctors has contracted Ebola. This is the biggest contingent of medical team from any country to reach and treat Ebola patients. Even, Cuba’s arch rival, US, has to appreciate the medical work being done by Cuba in W.Africa.
This is not the first time that Cuba has been helping patients in other countries. Whether it is the Haiti earthquake or the Kashmir earthquake in 2005, it was Cuba, which sent thousands of medical workers to help. It is stated that there are about 50,000 Cuban doctors and nurses working in 60 developing countries.
It is accepted by all that the best health care and system is in Cuba. I had the chance to visit a Medical College Hospital in Cuba, when I visited the country to attend the Congress of World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) in 2005. The arrangements and systems there were excellent. The Doctors explained in detail about these. We were also told that a large number of students from nearby countries are studying in the Medical College with out paying any fees. The only condition is that after returning to their own countries, they have to serve in the villages/ rural areas.
We have to congratulate and appreciate the Socialist Cuba and its government for their excellent service to the humanity. (With input from article in Hindu dated 06-12-2014 by Seumas Milne)
06 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in General
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has requested World Bank to advise on business friendly regulatory frame work and a team has already arrived in India. The World bank advice, no doubt, will be to give all favours and benefits to the corporates and MNCs.
The Cabinet in this week has cleared 14 amendments to the Companies Act favouring the corporates. It is a good time for the corporates to maximise their profits.
At the same time, the allotment for the MGNREGA has been reduced. Other subsidies are also being curtailed.
Subsidy for the rich and austerity for the poor seems to be the motto of Modi Government. this trend will be disastrous for the country.
06 Saturday Dec 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, Telecom
The Forum Meeting held on 5th December 2014 has decided to postpone the Parliament March from 19th December 2014 to 25th February 2015 and the Indefinite Strike from 3rd February to 17th March 2015.
The changes have been made in order to effectively organise massive campaign among the public and to collect more than one crore signatures to the Memorandum to be submitted to the Prime Minister on the day of the Parliament March.
