Items filtered by date: February 2014

The interim budget, presented by the Finance Minister Chidambaram today, is a political gimmick to camouflage its continued thrust of pro-corporate economic regime and anti-people bias.

In the run up to the forthcoming general elections, the Finance Minister seeks to project so called “aam admi” orientation by comparing the present expenditures/allocations on health, education and other developmental heads with the figures of ten-years back. By doing so the FM seeks to cleverly hide the truth that in the successive budgets of UPA-II Govt, the budgetary pro-people allocations were not deliberately spent aiming to contain the fiscal deficit. Even in the current year (2013-14), central plan outlay on rural development head has been cut drastically by Rs 5792 crore; in irrigation and flood control by Rs. 800 crore; in transport by Rs 24,359 crore; social services by Rs 28,640 crore and industry & minerals by Rs 11,843 crore; and also the central plan outlay was cut for the Health & Family Welfare Ministry Rs 7000 crore, Education (Human Resource) Ministry by Rs 4000 crore and Social Justice & Empowerment Ministry by Rs 1000 crore. Over all cut in central plan outlay was Rs 66,000 crore only to contain fiscal deficit to 4.6% and claiming credit for stabilizing the economy! All these expenditure would have contributed to income and employment generation to common people.

How the Govt, which is so focused on containing fiscal deficit could continue to allow pilferage in national exchequer by keeping due corporate tax and income tax from the corporate-big business lobby unrecovered? The tax-dues is to the tune of Rs 5.10 lakh crore as in December 2013. These dues are over and above the tax concessions granted to them on “revenue-foregone” account of around Rs 2.8 lakh crore only on account of corporate and income tax. The Govt laments on fiscal deficit only squeeze expenditure on peoples’ welfare.

The interim budget contains nothing on relief to the working people who generates GDP for the country and revenue for the national exchequer keeping the national economy afloat. The written statement of the Prime Minister in the 45th Session of the Indian Labour Conference that the demands of the trade unions were “unexceptionable” and the demands like universal coverage of social security benefits and national minimum wage “are in advance stages of consideration”, found no reflection in the budget reducing the prime minister’s statement to mere sound-bites. Despite assurances on different occasions no relief has been announced for the scheme workers who are not even getting minimum wages.

The budget’s major focus remains on further concessions to corporate and big-business lobby, both domestic and foreign, through tax concessions on the plea of promoting investment. Investment can expand only with expansion of market through increasing purchasing power of people. But, market can no way be expanded by squeezing developmental and welfare expenditures with ongoing gloom and widening poverty, further burdened by increasing food inflation. It was rather necessary to contain non-essential imports by raising import duty to contain current account deficit and also to boost the domestic industries. But Budget refused to take a call.

The UPA-II Govt ‘s blind approach to run the economy only by pampering corporates, both domestic and foreign, is bound to aggravate the gloom and crisis further. This is clear from the very fact that despite sizable growth in agricultural GDP by 4.6%, over all GDP cannot be estimated beyond 4.8 as the non-agricultural sector is in the midst of stagnation heading for decline. Complete reversal of the present economic policy regime is the only way if the country and the people are to advance.

CITU denounces the anti-people interim budget of the UPA-II Govt and calls upon the working people to heighten their struggle for reversal of the anti-people policy regime.

17th February 2014

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions congratulates 10 lakh employees and officers of country's banking sector for their historic two days strike action on 10-11 February 2014 led by the all in united platform of employees and officers-the United Forum of Bank Unions. The main demands of the bank employees and officers had been negotiated settlement on wage revision which has fallen overdue. The Bank employees also demanded to put a stop in mass scale outsourcing of banking services along with hectic deregulation of the banking sector much to the detriment of the interests of the national economy. The UFBU had once deferred the strike dates, demonstrating their eagerness for a negotiated and respectable settlement. But arrogance of the Finance Ministry as well as bank management compelled the employees and officers to go in for countrywide two days strike and the strike was almost total on both the days throughout the country reflecting the firm resolve of the bank employees and officers and their unions to fight to the last for legitimate rights of the employees as well as in defence of the state-owned banking sector of the economy.

CITU resolves to continue all out support to the united struggles of the bank employees and officers while hailing them for the two days historic strike action on 10-11 February 2014. The CITU also congratulates the Central Govt employees for their successful countrywide strike action on 12-13 February 2014 to press for their demands pertaining to scrapping of the anti-employee newpension scheme, immediate action on merger of DA with basic pay, announcement of interim relief, regularization of the gramin-dak-sevaks and filling of the huge number of vacancies in the central' government offices etc. The two days strike was called by the Confederation of Central Govt Employees and Workers and other organizations which has been responded magnificently by the central government employees enmasse throughout the country.

There are about 64 main departments of thecentral government establishments spread over 22 states and union territories employing around 14 lakh employees. By the end of the second day, the strike was almost total in 8 states, 90 per cent in 6 states, above 70 per cent in 6 states and around 40 to 60 per cent in 2 states. Such a massive strike action demonstrated the determination of the mass of the central govt employees to defend their legitimate rights and also fight against the trend of mass scale contractorisation and casualisation of jobs keeping several lakhs of vacancies in the central govt establishments unfilled. CITU reiterates its continued support to the struggle of central govt employees while again commending them for their heroic countrywide two days strike action. CITU demands upon the Govt of India to take note of the massive resentment among the workers and employees in both banks and central govt establishments and promptly act in addressing legitimate demands of the bank and central govt employees while reversing their retro e policies on both the sectors.

TAPANSEN
General Secretary

13 February 2014

Hundreds of mid day meal workers under the banner of The All India Co ordination committee of Mid Day Meal Workers (CITU) organized a March to Parliament on today, 13 February 2014. More thatn two thousand Mid day meal workers from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan UP and Uttarakhand participated in the programme.

Nearly 26 lakhs workers, mostly women belonging to backward sections of society are employed in the Mid Day Meal Programme of the government of India, which provides nutritious food to the crores of school going children in our country. These midday meal workers who work at least 6-8 hours every day are neither recognised as workers nor paid any wage. They are paid a pittance of Rs 1000 a month and that too only for ten months in a year. They are not provided any social security.

The 45th Indian Labour Conference held in May 2013 recommended that the Mid Day Meal Workers be recognized as workers, paid minimum wages and social security including pension. The HRD Ministry had assured the 45th ILC that the remuneration of the Mid Day Meal Workers will be enhanced in 2013-14. But this has not been implemented so far.

The main demands were,
· Implement the 45th ILC recommendation

· Immediate increase in remuneration upto minimum wages

· Payment for all 12 months, through zero balance bank account

· 180 days paid maternity wages

· Stop privatisation of the MDMS by handing over to corporate NGOs

Ensure safety of Mid Day Meal Workers and provide medical insurance. Mid Day Meal Workers must be covered under Janshree Beema Yojna

The March was inaugurated by Com. Tapan Sen MP (General Secretary, CITU) at Jantar Mantar. He called upon the mid day meal workers to carry on the struggles to keep the issues on the agenda of the nation and the political parties.

The Presidium consisted of Satvir Singh(Haryana), Chabi Ram(HP), Manzubhai Kothwal (Maharashtra), Radha Sarangi (Odisha), Charanjeet Kaur (Punjab), Sumitra Chopra (Rajasthan) and Karuna(UP) and Reshmi Bisht (Uttarakhand).

Sitaram Yechury MP and Basudev Acharya MP leaders of CPI(M) assured the gathering that the struggle inside the parliament by the left parties will echo the struggle outside the parliament by the working class.

Those who addressed the gathering include K Hemalata, Secretary CITU, Ranajana Nirula, Convener, ASHA Workers Coordination Committee and Treasurer CITU, Maimorrna Mollah, AIDWA, Avoy Mukherjee, General Secretary DYFI, V Sivadasan, President SFI, Wazir Singh, Vice President STFI.

Mid Day Meal Union leaders Saroj(Haryana), Jagat Ram(HP), Malini Meshta (Karnataka) Nagargojhe Prabhakar (Maharashtra), Isani Sarangi (Odisha), Harpal Kaur (Punjab), Manju Gaur (Rajasthan) and Rampyar Yadav(UP) addressed the gathering.

A R Sindhu, convener AICCMDMW (CITU) concluded the meeting. It is decided that the AICCMDMW (CITU) will launch struggles if the government is not increasing the wages with effect from April 2013 and continue the struggles for regularisation and minimum wages and pension.

Issued by
A R Sindhu
Convener, AICCMDMW (CITU), Secretary, CITU

The Interim Railway Budget presented by the Union Railway Minister has disappointed the people of our country. The extension of network, modernization of the system, filling up of large number of vacant posts, replacement and rehabilitation of old and worn out plants and machineries and rolling stock, track renewal, all these works suffered. The Operating Ratio increased to 94% by the Railway Ministers has failed to bring back the railway even to earlier position. The policy of economic reforms, the present government is pursuing vigorously, also reflected in the interim budget. The independent Tariff Regulatory Authority is being created which will be the independent freight and fare determining body. The main purpose is to minimise, rather phase out the cross subsidy which is the existing since the inception of railways. Thereby, the burden on common man will be increased. 80% of the passengers who travel in second class sleeper are the poor and the middle-class. If the cross subsidy is phased out, the burden on these sections of the people will be increased enormously. Creation of Freight Regulatory Authority was announced in 2012-13 Railway Budget when Shri Dinesh Trivedi was Railway Minster. Now the freight is linked with the price of fuel. The freight rate is being adjusted with the increase of price of fuel. Last year the freight rate on different commodities was increased a number of times and it had its impact on inflation.

The main thrust has been given on Public Private Partnership (PPP); namely rolling stock manufacturing units, modernization of stations, freight terminal, freight train operation and dedicated freight corridors. The Railways will now depend on private investments, but PPP, as in other areas has not been successful in railways. In addition to PPP, now Government has allowed FDI in Railways and that too in high speed corridor. The foreign investors will not only invest but they will undertake construction and as well as operation of trains in high speed corridor and this has to be restricted.
There were large number of vacancies in Railway and it is estimated to be 2.5 lakhs. There is acute shortage of safety related staff. As a result of this, the maintenance of coaches and locomotives are not done properly. The increase in the investment for the year 2014-15 is about one thousand crores and if we add inflation, there is hardly any increase of investment over the previous year 2013-14. And that is why no new projects has been announced in the budget; namely, new lines, gauge conversion, doubling etc. Thus, there will not be expansion of railway network. The Minister has, perhaps left this to new government. But, he has failed to show on which way the Indian Railways will go in future. The Indian Railways is not only a commercial organization, but it is also a social outlook. But, by allowing PPP in number of activities, by allowing FDI and FII for the first time in railways, the Railways is going to be converted to completely commercial organization. This is most unfortunate for the common people of our country. CITU denounce such retrograde approach.

Issued by,
TAPAN SEN 
12th February 2014