SHRI
PRASAD CONGRATULATES LABOUR AND UNIONS FOR WITHDRAWING PROPOSED
AGITATION
The Minister of State for Coal and Mines &
Law and Justice, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad thanked all the workmen
of Coal Industry and specifically the leaders of the five recognized
All India Trade Union Federations who participated in discussions
with the Government on 1st August and also in the conciliation
proceedings before the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) on
1st August. By calling off the proposed coal strike
the workmen have not only helped the country at large during a
crucial period when a severe drought has set in and the power
situation in the country is critical but they have also helped
Coal India, and specially the sick companies, by avoiding loss
on account of work stoppage.
Briefing the press, the MOS highlighted the following
points:
- Coal India, which had posted a loss of Rs.1414 crores during
2000-2001, has recorded a provisional profit of Rs.1400 crores
during 2001-2002. He praised the hard work put in by the workmen
and officers of the coal industry, and mentioned some of the
important landmarks i.e. additional production of nearly 10
million tones and reduction of manpower by about 22,000. It
was also possible to divert more coal to bonafide industries,
which was earlier going to some fictitious industries, by taking
up the process of verification of linkages to non-core consumers
and "snapping" the quantities being mis-used.
- While coal mining in some of the highly loss making mines
or where coal is exhausted had to be suspended, about 98 new
projects are being taken up including mega coal projects like
Magadh & Amprapali in the Tenth Plan. This would ensure
that the manpower, rendered surplus from closed mines, is usefully
redeployed.
Minister also referred to settlement on 1st
August, 2002 between the management and the Trade Unions wherein
a clear process of dialogues at two levels, viz. at the level
of the Group of Ministers and with the Department of Coal has
been agreed to. The process of dialogue would help in removing
the fears workers may have on the coal Mines Nationalisation
(Amendment) Bill. Minister also stated that over Rs.3000 crores
has been paid to labour as arrears as a result of the last Wage
Agreement i.e JBCCI-VI and proposal for setting up of JBCCI-VII
is under consideration.
MOS also emphasized that to meet the growing
demand of power reform, coal, contributing 70% of total power
supply in the country, is required to be subjected to a reform
process to meet the gap between demand & supply as also
to bring in quality, professionalism & competition in order
to become globally competitive.
At the end Minister again congratulated the
labour and the Unions for withdrawing their proposed agitation.
