Date:07/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/07/stories/2009010757280300.htm

Other States - Orissa

ITI pass-outs launch hunger fast

They seek employment in the Rourkela Steel Plant.

Rourkela: Hundreds of unemployed pass-outs from the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) here have launched an agitation demanding employment.

A first batch of seven office-bearers of the unemployed ITI Association on Tuesday resorted to a fast-unto-death demanding permanent employment in the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP).

The members of the association alleged that although the RSP had several vacancies pending for years, the plant had recently sought only 200 names for conducting test to fill only 100 vacancies.

“But in reality, the vacancy position in the RSP is more than a thousand”, they said.

More than 17,000 unemployed ITI pass-outs had registered their names in the employment exchange for jobs of the total 90,000 registered in Rourkela alone.

The members of the association led by its general secretary Sukanta Rout submitted a memorandum to Additional District Magistrate, Panposh, S K Das in support of their demands. PTI