VIJAYAWADA: Demanding the scrapping of G.O. 5 forthwith, State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) B.V.Raghavulu has asked the State Government to convene an all-party meeting to allay the fears of employees and trade unions.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Raghavulu derided the observations of Minister for Finance K. Rosaiah and Minister for Transport Kanna Lakshminarayana on the controversial G.O. and sought to know if the Government could evolve a method through which `uththuthi' (non-serious) and real G.Os could be distinguished. The G.O., which was issued on July 18, 2006, had the concurrence of the Finance Department on March 25 this year. The "weakness and inefficiency" of the Government stood exposed with its fumbling in defending its act.

Charge against Rosaiah

Mr. Rosaiah was camouflaging the issue saying that only Rs 15 crores was earmarked for voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) in the budget, while Rs 1,200 crores was required to downsize the employees in the 30 public enterprises. However, the amount could be mopped up through closure or sale of the enterprises to meet the World Bank conditionality. The very nature of the Structural Adjustment Loan (SAL) was like that, for loans for several projects were interlinked to SAL.

He challenged the Government on whether it could boldly reject the conditions of the World Bank. The G.O. specifically mentioned that external consultants had to be hired for executing the privatisation or closure of the public enterprises.

"The Congress Government has stepped into the shoes of the erstwhile Telugu Desam Party Government," said Mr. Raghavulu. To a question on whether the CPI(M) would join hands with the TDP in fighting the G.O., he said that it would be possible only if the TDP comes up with an answer on the retrenchment of over 31,000 employees of public enterprises in the first two phases of reforms during its regime.

Quoting extensively from the G.O., Mr. Raghavulu said that the Government wanted to complete the process of privatisation of APSRTC in 2006-07 by discharging 34,784 employees and Singareni Collieries Company Limited in 2007-08 by removing 25,808 workers. The public enterprises had been segregated into three categories: business, manufacturing and social.

`I am sceptical'

To a query if the Government would withdraw the G.O. at all, he said: "I am sceptical about it." If they did, it would be in the interest of the people, but the funding agencies would no longer support the State, he pointed out.

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