E-Paper
State Govt delay may cost UPICA dear
LAXITY ON the part of the State Government may land the UP Industrial Cooperative Association (UPICA) in trouble. The delay may deprive UPICA of the benefits of a revival scheme initiated by the Union Government. The Deen Dayal Hathkargha Protshahan Yojana was launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party-ledNational Democratic Alliance Government for the revival of the handloom sector. The government has fixed March 31 as the last date for accepting proposals.
LAXITY ON the part of the State Government may land the UP Industrial Cooperative Association (UPICA) in trouble. The delay may deprive UPICA of the benefits of a revival scheme initiated by the Union Government.
The Deen Dayal Hathkargha Protshahan Yojana was launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party-ledNational Democratic Alliance Government for the revival of the handloom sector.
The government has fixed March 31 as the last date for accepting proposals.
Already in the red, the UPICA had prepared a revival package and forwarded it to the State Government for necessary action.
But the government took a long time to approve the scheme.
UPICA was established to market products made by weavers’ societies. But UPICA’s fortune slid with the Union Government withdrawing subsidy. Since August 2001 the UPICA staff did not get their salary and provident fund contribution of Rs 7 crore was also pending.
During this period, about 397 employees opted for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS).
But they did not get their pension and dues they were entitled to. The employees alleged that they were facing financial trouble due to ismanagement.
Senior manager UK Mishra said there was no money with the UPICA to clear pending EPF dues.
He said it was likely to be cleared if UPICA made profit. For that the approval of the proposed revival package was necessary, he added.
Mishra said after making required amendments, the Rs 20-crore revival scheme was sent to the Union Government two days back. He said if the package did not get Centre’s approval it would be a major set back.
