Ordnance unit staff oppose Centre?s move

THE ORDNANCE factory employees have decided to oppose the Central Government?s disinvestment proposal as per recommendations of the Kelkar Committee.

THE ORDNANCE factory employees have decided to oppose the Central Government’s disinvestment proposal as per recommendations of the Kelkar Committee.

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In protest against the government move, the leaders of the Ordnance Factory employees’ unions have formed a new association ‘Anti-Kelkar Front’.
Talking to newspersons here on Sunday, president of the front Asish Pandey said that all trade unions and federations associated with the Ordnance Factory would support the association.

He said that the employees would organise a series of the protests to prevent the government from implementing the Kelkar Committee recommendations.
In the first phase of their protest, the employees would burn the effigy the Kelkar panel chairman Viaji Kelkar on August 18 at the Ordnance Equipment Factory (OEF) gate near Phoolbagh.

The Kelkar Committee had submitted its first phase recommendation to the government in May. According to Pandey, the committee suggested introduction of advanced technology in the production.

The committee said that private parties, with turnover of Rs 1000 crore and assets of Rs 1000 crore, should be invited to play a major through disinvestments.

Besides, the companies to should have been selected as ‘Raksha Utpadan Rattna’. Pandey said the government might implement the Kelkar Committee recommendations from April 2007.

The front leaders said that they had chalked out a strategy to counter the government move. The MPs, belonging to various political parties, would raise the issue, he added.

He said that entry of private parties into the Ordinance Factory would affect the security of the nation. Other leaders who also addressed the press conference, said that the government was keen to shut down the defence factories.