Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Unions concerned over delay in HSL takeover

VISAKHAPATNAM: Unions belonging to various organisations have expressed apprehensions over inordinate delay in takeover of Hindustan Shipyard Limited by Ministry of Defence and threatened to launch an agitation to build up pressure for early clearance by the Union Cabinet.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, K.M. Kumaramangalam (CITU), M. Jagadeeswara Rao (BMS), G. Venkataramana (TNTUC) and Ch.F. Lazarus (AITUC) said the Cabinet had been evading a decision notwithstanding the fact that the Group of Ministers headed by Pranab Mukherjee had cleared the proposal for MoD takeover in May 2008.

“Though the issue was included in the Cabinet agenda several times, on some pretext or the other, a decision is being deferred,” they pointed out and threatened to take up an agitation from next week through dharnas, signature campaign and protest meetings to pressurise the Centre.

The unions are now holding gate meetings and raising slogans as a mark of protest.

They said the capital restructuring programme was pending since 1997 and the HSL – premier shipbuilding yard of the country – would be in doldrums if it was not brought under MoD immediately.

To a question, they expressed the fear that there could be a deliberate attempt to complicate matters for HSL.

Six issues relating to Ministry of Shipping were discussed at the Cabinet meeting held on December 26 but HSL issue did not find a place.

At January 2 meeting, five decisions were connected to Ministry of Shipping.

They said there could be a conspiracy to dismantle public sectors after the decision to increase ceiling on FDI cap in insurance from 26 to 49 per cent.

They also wanted a quick decision on merging 50 per cent of DA in basic from January 1, 2007 to stop a loss of Rs.2,000 to Rs.3,000 per employee.

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