Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) welcomes the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan. Upon receiving the news of stoppage of war, the people from both the countries- heaved a sigh of great relief as both the neighbouring nations desperately need peace for their own progress.

CITU sincerely hopes that India and Pakistan should re-built the mutual trust and co-operation in containing and eradicating the menace of terrorism that is inhuman in nature and strive to foster our historical bonds and relationship to new height that would bring prosperity not only to both countries but to the entire region. Pakistan should ensure that its soil not to be used by the terrorist for their nefarious activities.

CITU earnestly appeals to the working people of both countries that we should not allow this sub-continent to become a theater for any terrorist conspiracy and urge upon them to be always vigilant against such a designs that would undoubtedly undermine our own mutual developments and progress and the tranquility

Issued By
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) denounces the proposal of the Union Govt to further give more concessions to wilful defaulting employers of their statutory obligations/dues under EPF & Miscellaneous Provisions Act by way of  sharply reducing the rate of statutory penal damages recovery retrospectively from defaulting employers in depositing the PF, Pension and EDLI contributions of the workers with EPFO.

The proposal shall reduce crores of rupees penal damages in total levied under section 14B of EPF & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 for the offence of wilful default by the employers in the payment of contributions and other statutory dues under the Act at varied rates of damages for varied period of default in the pending disputes before 14^th June 2024.  This is done in the guise of Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanism (ADR) just to help the defaulting employers at the cost of employee’s interest and their retirement benefits.      

Through this the Modi Govt is retrospectively giving effect to its earlier notification dated 14^th June, 2024, through which it had reduced all damage rates for all defaults of the employers in respect of EPF, to mere 1% per month, i.e., 12% per annum across the board to all Schemes, done apparently, in the name promoting ease of doing business, shamelessly defeating the very purpose of the EPF Act and its strict compliance. Prior to  14^th June, 2024, the penal charges were calculated at the rate of 5% per annum for default period of less than two months, 10% for default period of two months and above but less than four months, 15% for four months and above but less than six months and 25% for six months and above. Last year, at the behest of employers in a single stroke Modi regime had reduced it to 1% per month as soon as assuming office for the third time. At that time all Central Trade Unions including CITU vehemently opposed such a move then itself. Such atrocious move of the Govt vide its notification dated 14^th June 2024 was a virtual license to the employers/corporate to violate the EPF Act liberally besides promoting and legitimising a pilferage on workers lifetime savings in provident fund and related benefits.

But the lust for bigger loot on workers of the employers’ class does not end there itself. And the Modi Govt has gone a step further in shamelessly extending the concessions for its masters in the employers’ class to loot on workers in all the pending cases of defaults and related cases of litigations prior to 14^th June 2024 retrospectively. At the dictate of the Govt and the Ministry, the Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner (Legal) EPFO, in the meeting of Central Trade Unions for a consultation held on 29.4.2025, has shamelessly proposed the extension/retrospective application of the earlier order on drastic reductions in penalty-damage rate for wilful default in EPF dues, dated 14^th June 2024 to all cases of similar defaults by employers prior to 14^th June 2024. All the trade union representatives including CITU present in the meeting have vigorously opposed such notoriously shameless proposal made by EPFO in the meeting.        

The meeting with the CTUs on 29-04-2025 was called by EPFO to discuss the so-called implementation of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanism in EPFO. Disputes pertained to issue of numerous cases of wilful defaults by the employers in paying their statutory dues to workers provident fund pending prior to 14^th June 2024. The Govt through EPFO proposed a mechanism of virtually legitimising all such defaults through liberal reduction of the damage rates, instead of making them to strictly comply with the law of the land under section 14B of EPF Act.      

The sections 7Q & 14B of the Act are only deterrent provisions against such defaults and, in addition, that are the only instruments to ensure the compliance of Act passed by the sovereign Parliament. The policy of waiver of tax dues of defaulting rich and big business under Modi regime in the name of “Vivaad Se Vishwas & Samasya Se Samadhan” for ease of doing business is being attempted to be implemented even in social security legislations meant for the betterment of the working people and their post retirement benefits. The decriminalisation process of the 180 provisions of 41 legislations done through Jan Vishwas Act 2023 is being done through this executive order in the EPF Act just to aid the wilful defaulting employers, that too retrospectively.   

The pro corporate face of Modi regime is glaringly visible through this proposal even in encouraging them to violate the only extant social security legislation- the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 – that guarantees some minimum benefits like provident fund, pension and some assured benefits in the event of death in harness- that too mostly for organised work force in our country.

CITU demands the Union Government to rescind this anti-labour and default-promoting pro-employer proposals immediately and calls upon the working people to intensify the ongoing preparations and campaigns to make 20^th May General Strike a success in order to defeat such pro corporate anti- worker machinations by the Corporate-Communal ruling dispensation at the centre.

Issued by
Tapan Sen 
General Secretary

DEMANDS STRINGENT ACTION AGAINST JINGOIST THREATS BY THE DIVISIVE FORCES SPREADING HATRED

CALLS UPON THE WORKING PEOPLE TO DEFEND AND STRENGTHEN PEOPLE’S UNITY TO COMBAT TERRORIST FORCES

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), while condemning the atrocious and dastardly terrorist attacks that killed 28 innocent tourists at Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved families.

This heinous act of violence is a stark reminder of the persistent threat of terrorism and its devastating impact on peace and harmony. The mindless violence in Pahalgam, by scaring away tourists, will decimate the livelihoods of the vast number of working people reliant on tourism and allied sectors, with devastating consequences for the economy of Jammu & Kashmir. CITU stands in solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in this hour of grief and demands the government to ensure stringent punishment to the perpetuators of this horrific and barbarous crime.

CITU appreciates the spontaneous collective response of the working people against such heinous crime in almost all the states in the country including in Jammu and Kashmir itself. This immediate and unified response from the working people demonstrates their unwavering commitment to peace, unity, and their rejection of violence and divisive hatred.

CITU expresses serious concern over numerous reports of threats and harassment of students, traders and workers belonging to Jammu and Kashmir in different states, including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra etc by the divisive forces. A vicious campaign is also going on in social media targeting the Kashmiris and the minority community despite the fact that Kashmiris in one voice denounced and protested against the violence by terrorist outfit. In Dehradun, due to the threats and an ultimatum issued by a communal outfit, which has become viral in social media, many Kashmiri students had to leave for their homes. 

These acts of intimidation and violence against students are unacceptable and reflect a dangerous trend of communal polarisation. CITU warns that such nasty activities by the divisive forces only help the nefarious designs and agenda of the terrorists.

CITU demands the respective state governments to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiri students and to take strict action against those involved in these reprehensible acts.

CITU calls upon all its cadres, members and all workers and common people in general and all progressive and democratic sections of society to remain alert and united in combating such disruptive activities and protect the unity of the people against terrorism.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) denounces the Bill passed in the Loka Sabha, enabling the Government to make discriminatory distinctions among the Pensioners from being beneficiaries of the Pay Commissions recommendations, in utter violation of the long standing practices being followed almost since inception. This is nothing but a desperate as well as arbitrary move of the Govt to deceive the pensioners of Govt services.

The legislation regarding “Validation of the CCS (Pension) Rules and Principles for expenditure on Pension Liabilities from the Consolidated Fund of India” passed in Loka Sabha on 25^th March 2025 as a part of Finance Bill 2025 is a deceptive and discriminatory and unjust exercise of the Govt as part of its so called austerity measure dictated by the neoliberal forces.

This legislation authorizes the Govt to discriminate in the guise of distinction among the pensioners with regard to applicability of the recommendations of Pay Commissions based on the date of retirement. Further effective date of the legislation  are retrospectively made applicable from 1^st June 1972 and validating the Rules made under the Article 309 of the Constitution for CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, 2021 and latest extraordinary Rules, 2023 including all instructions issued there under as amended from time to time. Hence the Legislation shall rob all the pensioners under the Guaranteed Old Pension Scheme (OPS) as well as those under the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and also under latest Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) touted by the Govt in the media with much fan-fare, which is notified to be implemented from 1^st April 2025 in a deceptive manner.

The Legislation is another example of the notoriety of the Modi led Union Govt perpetrated against the workers and employees.   The Employees and the Pensioners have all through opposed the policies truncating the pensions and have urged for nothing less than non contributory and guaranteed pension – Old Pension Scheme for which continuous movement was undertaken and is still continuing.

The CITU urges the Union Govt to scrap the Bill passed in the Lok Sabha and shall stand with the employees and pensioners in their struggles to resist and defy the legislation and urging for the statutory guaranteed – non contributory pension – old pension scheme and opposes any discriminatory move/exercise in applicability of the recommendations of Pay Commissions among the pensioners.

Issued by
(Tapan Sen)
General Secretary

The new service for domestic “maids” offered by the Urban Company which “promises” to make available domestic services within 15 minutes for Rs 49 per hour is yet another example of the continuing exploitation and dehumanization of paid domestic workers in our country.

It is well known that such platforms charge a commission to the workers, which successively increases over time, leading to severe exploitation of such ‘gig’ workers. It is therefore unlikely that workers will get even the amount that has been advertised as the cost to the customer, which in any case is far below the minimum wages of at least Rs. 100 per hour that CITU has been demanding for some time now. The issue of safety at the customers’ homes is critical especially when several other women providing beauty and other services by such platforms have complained of sexual harassment. It should be noted that these companies continue to flout the law of the land and refuse to implement the POSH Act by falsely claiming to be ‘aggregators’ and not employers.

We strongly condemn the pejorative term “maid” that has been used by the Urban Company. It shows its arrogance and wilful ignorance of the long–drawn struggles, both national and international, of domestic workers, against stigmatization and for their dignity and status as workers. We also condemn the manner in which domestic workers are stereotyped as lazy, unreliable and take leave without notice, ignoring the reality of their miserable working and living conditions.

Platform based domestic services is not a new concept in our country. However, the entry of Urban Company brings with it the power and clout of a corporate entity that will not only exploit the workers, but also make profits on the data that it will mine on the basis of consumers’ preferences, and the advertising revenue it will earn in the process. It is argued that the conversion of domestic workers into “gig workers” will lead to the formalization and visibilisation of the sector, enable their registration and regulate their tasks. CITU believes that it will mainly lead to further exploitation of a section that is already working in sub-human conditions. Formalization and registration should be achieved by a comprehensive law that will protect domestic workers, ensure index linked minimum wages and a weekly off, regulate working hours, and provide earned leave, bonus, and social security benefits such as pensions, health and life insurance. This law should protect the vast majority of domestic workers in this country are the live out (so called ‘part time’) women workers, many of whom are barely literate and do not own a smart phone. They work at pitiful wages and are subject to exploitation, caste and religious discrimination and physical and sexual abuse.

It is ironical that the service has been launched just when the Supreme Court has recently, suo moto commented on the vulnerability of domestic workers and the non-regulation of this crucial sector that employs lakhs of workers, primarily women. We call upon the Government of India to take heed of this order and take steps to enact a comprehensive law that will regulate the working conditions of domestic workers and accord them their legitimate rights as workers. We also call upon the Urban Company to withdraw the term ‘maid’, and pay their workers minimum wages, social security and ensure their safety at the work place. 

AICCDW (CITU) will intensify its struggles for the long pending demands of domestic workers for a life of dignity. We call upon the domestic workers throughout the country to unionise and fight the exploitation and discrimination they face on an everyday basis.

Issued by
Kiran Moghe
Convenor

The National Convention of Workers on 18th March 2025 organised by the platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations and Associations adopted a Declaration with a call for two-month long campaign to culminate in a Nationwide General Strike on 20th May 2025.

The participants included the leaders and activists from the unions of the PSU and Govt Sectors such as those from Banks, Insurance, Coal, Steel, Port and Dock, Electricity, Telecom, Postal, Railways, Defence, Roadways, Education, Health, Water, Civil services etc and private formal sector including the contract workers of those sectors, those from the informal/unorganised sectors- industrial as well as contract, outsourced workers and self-employed in piece rate work, domestic workers, gig and app based workers, scheme workers-from Anganwadi, ASHA and Mid-day Meal schemes, beedi and construction sector, loaders-unloaders etc.

Pyare Lal Bhavan, New Delhi was bursting out of seams with the representatives of all CTUs from all the states across the length and breadth of India and sectoral unions converged to demonstrate the unity to resist against the anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-people policies of the BJP government.

Voices rose in unison, in a chorus of condemnation against the central government that deliberately maintains more than a decade long deaf ear to the consistent demands of the Trade Unions on the one side and their collective rejection of its policies on the other. 

The leaders who addressed the convention endorsed the Declaration. Among those who addressed included Ashok Singh from INTUC, Amarjeet Kaur from AITUC, Harbhajan Singh from HMS, Tapan Sen from CITU, Harish Tyagi from AIUTUC, K Indu Prakash Menon from TUCC, Lata Ben from SEWA, Rajiv Dimri from AICCTU, Jawahar Prasad from LPF, and Ashok Ghosh from UTUC.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) flays and denounces the utter lack of concern and well-equipped preparedness of the Union Govt and Defence Ministry to meet the challenges of avalanche putting the plight of lives of workers at stake at Border Road Organization (BRO) Camp site at hilly terrains of Chimoli in Uttarkhand on 28.2.2025. CITU urges for swift rescue measures for avalanche-struck workers.

The news of even defence forces not being able to access the site of avalanche struck workers engaged in construction of border road reveals the plight of safety of workers engaged in such work that too in hostile weather as well as in difficult geographical conditions without even communication network. The Union defence ministry undertaking the border road construction, having put these contract workers to work and the state govt going un-alert and shamelessly indifferent in spite of Indian Meteorological department’s cautions on snow fall and rains in the hilly areas of the state without any preventive arrangement and preparedness speaks about utter callousness on their part them towards the labourers.

The Contractor engaging workers in such a job without necessary safety preparedness and evacuation plan in case of avalanche in such hostile weather situation, while such a snow fall / avalanche are routinely expected during this calendar of the year should be black listed as well as penalized. The BRO construction workers, most of whom are migrant workers are put to brutal work conditions without necessary safety & health, transport and residential facilities. In this case even the lack of communication has further worsened the rescue operations.

The Border Road Organization and the Defence Ministry under Union Govt have to compensate the workers and their families for the losses incurred due to Avalanche struck disaster, as principal employers engaging the migrant contract labour as per Interstate Migrant Workers Act-1979 and Contract labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act 1970. Union Labour Ministry has to ensure the compliance of the statutory provisions in the works of Border Road Organization works, where the violations are norms almost in every worksite and Union Govt should act to safeguard the workers and their lives instead of decriminalizing the offences for ease of doing business.

Issued by,
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) urges the Telangana State Govt to further undertake rescue operations in war foot to secure the 8 trapped migrant workers in the Srisailam left bank canal tunnel and demands to black list the contractor for the criminal neglect of not ensuring the safety at work place. 

The incidents of water filling along with mud and silt in the tunnel work is not an unknown thing, it is usually anticipated and preventive steps are normally undertaken well in advance. This incident of Srisailam left bank canal (SLBC) tunnel being filled with water, mud and silt near Domalapet village of Amrabad mandalam that too within 30 minutes of the workers entering into tunnel shows the lack of proper tunnel engineering expertise with the contractor undertaking the work and supervision on the part of Telangana Govt respective Irrigation and public works department. It is criminal neglect on the part of both the contractor and the Govt department which has led to this incident and put the lives of the migrant workers at tragic stake and their families in distress.

Further as the workers involved in such hazardous work are all interstate migrant workers,ensuring the work place safety is on the state labour department and the concerned designated Authorities under the Inter State Migrant Workers Act 1979 (ISMWA). The incident shows the utter neglect on the part of the state labour department and labour ministry as such. Hence the State Govt has to conduct an enquiry as to whether the workers were registered under the ISMWA, and the Agent who brought the workers and supplied them to the contractor along with the contractor / sub contractor involved if any have to be booked for non compliance or non adherence of the provisions of the statute. Further the Union Labour ministry has to answer as to whether the concerned workers were covered under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees State Insurance (ESI) and ensure statutory relief as per the Acts also. Given these sort of accidents recurring in most of the tunnel works in which the migrants workers are involved the repeal of ISMWA and Contract labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act 1970 subsuming them in diluted form  in the labour codes will only allow the contractors and employers go scot free playing with the lives of the workers. CITU reiterates its demand to repeal the labour codes and ensure effective implementation of the Inter State Migrant Workers Act and Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) condemns the inhuman indignified treatment being meted out to the deported immigrant Indian workers by US Govt by handcuffing, chaining their legs etc. CITU notes with contempt the shameful silence of Govt of India to such atrocious and heinous treatment of the US administration to immigrant Indian workers on the plea of so called illegality and demands upon the Union Govt to act immediately to stop such inhuman process perpetrated by the US.  

As per the media reports one of the deported Indian from Punjab has narrated the way they were treated and that allowed  them to drag themselves to lavatories for natural calls also after insistence and were forced to eat with their handcuffs on. He further said that it was ‘worse than hell’, physically painful and mentally torturous.

Even the Govts like that of Colombia and others have reacted strongly against such inhuman treatment to the immigrants from their respective countries and took initiative in respect of their deportations. But the Indian Govt is shamefully silent, exhibiting its servility and helplessness before the USA, which is condemnable as well as unpardonable.  With this indifferent attitude of the Union Govt, around 20000 Indian immigrants said to be illegal immigrants and going to be deported, will have to face further humiliating and oppressive treatment. This cannot be tolerated.

CITU urges the Union Govt to ensure necessary arrangements for Airlifting the deported Indians, mostly workers, from USA in a dignified manner and respond to the USA administration’s humiliating actions in a befitting manner as a sovereign nation safeguarding the dignity of its citizens.

Issued by,
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The Union Budget 2025-26 presented today by the Finance Minister of the BJP/NDA Govt maintained scrupulous continuity in its brazenly pro-corporate and anti-people approach while making deceptive postures of so called pro-people and pro-growth initiatives. The Govt, quite consistent to its pro-corporate class bias, have chosen to remain totally indifferent to the stark findings of its own Economic Survey released the day before, on stark reality of wages/earnings of salaried and self-employed workers in 2023-24 still hovering below pre-pandemic level, while corporate profits soaring to 15 year high, having direct impact of slow-down of the economy through squeeze and curb on consumption demand. This has in fact exposed the real face of the NDA Govt’s destructive project behind the shrill noise on its so called Vikasit Bharat programme.

The phenomenon of continuing slow-down in economy and its devastating effect on lives and livelihood of the mass of the people, together of fortune of the corporates climbing an obscene height reflects an ugly perversion in the entire economic policy regime.

The situation demands an expansionary budget, funded out of taxing the corporate and the rich who made illegitimate fortune out of Modi regime’ policy bias in their favour without contributing anything worth either towards quality-employment generation or wealth creation for the national coffer. Despite concessions showered on them including direct resource transfer from various deceptive mechanism during the process of last one decade or so under the stewardship of Modi Regime, private investment did not practically increase much despite meteoric rise in corporate profit accompanied with worsening unemployment as well as aggravating working poverty situation.

But Union Budget 2025 turns out to be a contractionary one, targeting a further lower fiscal deficit target of 4.4% from 4.9% last year.  This together with continuance of the hefty concessions awarded to corporate class on their tax obligations over and above the direct transfers to them from national exchequers through various production/capex incentive schemes, employment linked incentive etc and also through Insolvency Bankruptcy Code (IBC) route means further squeeze on expenditure on improving peoples’ welfare and livelihood. And in tune with such an approach, increase in corporate tax collection is estimated at 10.4% only which is insignificant and extremely disproportionate compared to the hefty profit minted by them.

Aggressive privatization through National Monetization Pipeline Route has been reiterated with an ambitious target to garner Rs 10 lakh crores in next five years to partially neutralize the revenue foregone in favour of the private corporate, domestic and foreign which will lead to handing over precious infrastructure including Power, Oil, Transport and Highways, Coal and other Minerals including the precious Minerals , public service network etc to private sector, both domestic and foreign with a focused target of  withdrawal of state’s involvement from all those critical and strategic segments of the national economy, altering its basic foundation altogether, fiercely to the detriment of the national interests and its security. 

It has pushed further the pace of privatization under the deceptive nomenclature of Private Public Partnership model in every aspect of economy from rural to urban development and every sector from road to space technology. This means in reality the public investment mainly to be exploited for development with operational control with private hands. While the Electricity employees across the nation are up in arms against privatization the Union Budget has offered the concession of increasing the loan borrowing limit of state Govts by 0.5% of the GSDP provided they further the power sector privatization, particularly of the distribution segment. The Allocation for states has also been reduced compared to the previous year in real terms.

The FDI in Insurance sector is increased to 100% from 74% clandestinely through finance Bill in the face of Govt’s failure to pass the Insurance Amendment Bill owing to employees’ struggle. The several Funds proposed like Maritime Development Fund, Urban Challenge Fund, India Infrastructure Project Development Fund are all on Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model, i.e, public fund to be exploited by private for private gains and control which is only a precursor to the privatization.

The Govt has succumbed to USA pressure of opening up the Nuclear Energy sector to the Private Sector for which it has proposed to amend Atomic Energy Act and Civil Liability Act for Nuclear Damage Act.  

While the National Manufacturing Policy 2010, Production Linked Incentive(PLI) Scheme 2019 of Rs.1.97 lakh crores and Capex Incentive of Rs.76000 crores and the latest last Budget’s Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme of Rs.2 lakh Crores claimed to have been brought to raise  the contribution of manufacturing sector contribution to the GDP to 25%, it  did not yield  any worthwhile result except channelizing public fund to private kitties, the present budget has introduced another drama of so called  National Manufacturing Mission to further Make in India centering around MSME’s while the investment and turnover thresholds have been raised to accommodate the bigger industries into the MSME category, mainly to ensure  the benefit of public funds for the biggies.

While much is talked about Agriculture, the Budget estimate for 2025-26 is Rs.2.12 lakh crores less than the Actuals of 2023-24 for the Agriculture and allied activities. For Rural Development also it is Rs.3675 crores less. For Rural Employment also it is Rs.3302 crores less and for MNREGA it is Rs.3268 crores less. For Irrigation and Flood Control also it is Rs.3390 crores less.

It is shocking that the Railway Budget has suffered a cut to Rs 2.55 lakh crores from Rs 2.62 lakh crores previous year. And for Railway Safety it is Rs. 322.50 is less while accidents including fatal ones are increasing alarmingly year on year. Further cut in budget of Railways also indicates the philistine approach of policy makers to hand over Railway operation to privatization process through NMP route.

In the face of aggravating and widening impoverishment countrywide, allocation on Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) has been drastically reduced by Rs 2250 crores. And total food subsidy has also faced a drastic cut by Rs 8364 crores in the current budget compared to actual expenditure in 2023-24.

The Finance Minister in her speech hailed the Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0. (Earlier ICDS) Scheme and announced that the “cost norms for these nutritional norms will be enhanced” for the scheme. The statement turned out to be deceptive as the budget allocation for Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0. Scheme for 2025-26 is Rs. 21960.00 Cr against Rs. 21809.64 Cr budget expenditure in 2023-24, a mere increase of Rs.150.36 Cr. The budget estimate last year was Rs. 21200.00 Cr. If we consider the inflation, there is actual reduction in budget allocation.

The cost norms for the supplementary nutrition were last revised in 2017. Even if we calculate it as actual increase, for around 10 Crores beneficiaries (8 crores children and 2 crore pregnant women lactating mothers for 300 days a year) the increase in cost for nutrition in this budget is a ridiculous 5 paise per child after seven years!

Budget allocation for Mid-Day-Meal (MDM) in the current budget is only Rs. 12500.00 Cr which is drastically below the budget allocation of Rs 12800 crores made in 2022-23 reduction from the budget. The cost norms for the food or the wages for the mid day meal workers which was last revised in 2009. The ASHA workers’ honorarium/incentives have also not been revised.

While the Indian economy is facing the demand constraint crisis and the Private sector Capex is not increasing the Govt Capex which was allocated in the previous budget is also not spent fully and in the current budget again Rs 10 lakh crores has been allocated which is lesser than the previous allocation mainly focusing on the infrastructure sector which is already put in the pipeline of notorious NMP.

The Economic Survey while painting a picture of slow-down and alarming increase in profit-wage growth disparity, prescribed most ridiculously total deregulation and withdrawal of States’ direct involvement/participation in economy management/activities—all aimed at ensuring “ease of doing business”. Accordingly the Budget statement atrociously announced further decriminalizing the 100 provisions of corporate offences through Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0. Previously the 2023 Act had already decriminalized 180 such provisions. By this, the government is essentially giving a free pass to corporations to flout and violate laws and regulations including their statutory obligations towards workers and the people with impunity. This move is a blatant assault on the rule of law and undermines the already fragile trust in institutions. It sends a disturbing message that corporate profits take precedence over public interest and that those in power are willing to bend over backwards to accommodate their corporate patrons.

Centre of Indian Trade unions (CITU) decries the Union Budget as a deceptive way of furthering loot and plunder without addressing the concerns and plight of working class of the Nation. CITU calls on the Workers and other sections of people to join Nationwide Protest action against this anti worker anti people anti national budget furthering the interests of neo liberal forces on 5^th February 2025  across the nation in mass.

Issued by,
Tapan Sen
General Secretary