BMS to hold demo before Parliament against disinvestment

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) would hold a demonstration in front of Parliament in November opposing disinvestment in profit-making PSUs. 

Though the Central Public Sector Undertakings, such NTPC, BHEL, were contributing about 18 per cent of the total revenue — about Rs 1,65,000 crore per annum —, the Centre was trying to disinvest in such industries to meet the deficit-budget, Lakshma Reddy, BMS General Secretary, told reporters here today.     While the government was giving several concession to corporate and big industrial houses, it was trying to sell away it's stake in PSUs, he said.    

Stating that due to wrong policies of the government, coupled with global economic crisis, workers were losing jobs, Reddy said that due to the ban on recruitment in the Government departments and undertakings, about one crore jobs were lost during the last 15 years in the country.     

About seven lakh jobs were lost in textile industry, while more than 25 lakh jobs were lost in export-oriented industries like gem, jewellery, leather and garment for the last 18 months, Reddy said and demanded that the government should provide alternative employment for them or pay unemployment allowance.    

Reddy said that though the Centre had enacted law for social security scheme, no budget allocation has been made or specific measures taken up for nearly 40 crore workers in unorganised sector.