The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Defence employees oppose privatisation moves

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 14, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Defence employees oppose privatisation moves

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The All-India Defence Employees Federation has strongly opposed moves by the Centre to push forward with privatisation of Defence production, which it terms a “compromise of national security”.

Speaking to presspersons here on Friday, C. Srikumar, federation general secretary, said the Government was being pressured by trade bodies such as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to give Raksha Udyog Ratna (RUR) status to 24 private companies. “The Government of India, based on recommendations of the Kelkar Committee, took a decision to grant RUR status to private players in 2000. We had strongly opposed it then. But the policy is being pursued even today,” said Mr. Srikumar. Though they had met Defence Minister A.K. Antony and put forth their objections to privatisation, trade bodies were pushing ahead with their demand, he said.

Pay commission

Speaking about the “adverse recommendations” of the Sixth Pay Commission, Mr. Srikumar said that though there had been a lot of publicity in the media that Defence employees had got a 40 per cent salary raise, it was not even 20 per cent in reality, with only top officers getting benefits.

There were other adverse recommendations, including proposals for contractual work and corporatisation of the Defence industry, he said. “The commission has recommended outsourcing of all functions performed by Group D employees, thereby abolishing more than nine lakh Group D posts,” he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka