Two-day nationwide shutdown from today, services may be hit

Notices have been sent by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) to unions to join the agitation to oppose the “anti-labour policies” of the central government.

Essential services related to banking, transportation, railways and electricity are likely to be impacted during a two-day nationwide strike called by a joint forum of central trade unions beginning Monday.

Central Trade Unions members demonstrate during a protest and two day nationwide strike at GPO roundabout in Patna on Sunday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

Talking to news agency PTI, All Indian Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said, “We are expecting participation of over 20 crore formal and informal workers with mass mobilisation of workers across the country during the strike on March 28 and 29 to protest against government policies.”

She said that the strike is expected to hit the rural parts also, where informal workers of farming and other sectors will join the protest. The strike notices were given by workers’ unions of various sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, banks and insurance.

Unions in railways and defence sector will carry out mass mobilization in support of the strike at several places, the joint forum said.

“It is advised that all power utilities shall take necessary measures to ensure round-the-clock normal functioning of the electricity grid and availability of all plants, transmission lines and substations,” Arun Kumar Garg, director at the power ministry, said in the advisory.

To ensure secure and reliable grid operations, it advised power utilities to reschedule shutdown activities planned between March 28 and 29 to suitable future dates.

On Saturday, the ministry issued a circular requesting the states to take action against imported coal-based power plants if they fail to maintain adequate coal stocks.