Trade Unions Condemn Autonomy To Navaratnas

Leading trade unions have condemned the government move to accord more autonomy to various leading public sector undertakings, saying the scheme has overlooked key aspects like bureaucratic intervention.

The unions have been demanding grant of meaningful autonomy to the management of the public sector undertakings (PSUs) and removal of bureaucratic interference, but the navaratna and miniratna status accorded to these public sector undertakings have not taken care of these areas which have been playing havoc, a trade union statement said here yesterday.

In a joint statement, the International Trade Union Congress (Intuc), All India Trade Union Congress (Aituc), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Hind Mazdoor Sangh (HMS) said the government had not consulted the unions despite its commitment on workers participation in management in common minimum programme (CMP).

The government decision to give more autonomy for appointment of non-official part-time directors and non-government share holders on the board of these public sector undertakings would result in representation of big corporate houses on the PSUs board, they said.

The statement said the common minimum programme had clearly mentioned that the public sector industries, particularly the profit-making ones, would be strengthened and added, however, it was doubtful whether the measures proposed by the government in the case of these ratnas would really make the public sector undertakings strong. Government schemes reveal that granting the so-called autonomy will practically create compelling situation for the managements of profit-making public sector undertakings to embrace private sector interference, they said.

Trade unions have urged the government to review the proposals on ratnas in the interest of the countrys economy and self-reliance.