Erstwhile UPA Govt responsible for fiscal crisis in SAIL
Steps on wage revision and other demands only after overcoming crisis
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Bhilai, Mar 20: On Tuesday, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) Director (Independent) Dr Samar Singh stated that the long pending demand of Diploma Engineers regarding respectful designation and separate supervisory cadre has been put on hold by the SAIL Board in view of the company’s present situation. Dr Singh added that the last quarter of current FY had ended on a positive note with profit of Rs 82 crore. Once the company overcomes crisis, the SAIL Board will take positive steps in consideration to the demands of Diploma Engineers.
He added that the financial implications involved in the matter are the cause of delay. However, Dr Singh did not elaborate the involved financial issues. Here it needs to be mentioned here that the Diploma Engineers of SAIL have been asserting that their demands are not going to incur any financial burden on the company and the matter is being deliberately delayed by the SAIL Board.
While interacting with media persons here at Bhilai Niwas, Dr Singh stated that the company is heading towards profit making status due to the dedicated and committed efforts of the employees. Hence, the company would definitely consider their benefits including the wage revision. He alleged that some decisions of erstwhile UPA government had dragged the company to the suffering end.
In the year 2011, then UPA government borrowed Rs 72000 crore for the modernization and expansion project of SAIL. This decision lacked proper planning and implementation which resulted to instability in the PSU giant. The company is still paying about Rs 3500 crore as annual interest against the loans. Due to the unplanned working of UPA Government and its Cabinet, the SAIL suffered losses for years.
In reply to a question regarding outsourcing of work for Bhilai Township, he supported the decision and stated that there must be no objection if the same work is being done at lower cost. He managed to avoid commenting over the issue of disinvestment of three units of SAIL. Dr Singh visited Bhilai Steel Plant after a gap of one year. He stated that during his last visit he experienced an atmosphere of depression here in Bhilai as the company was in loss but the employees were willing to struggle and make the company overcome crisis. Dr Singh said that he had tried to motivate the cadre and they managed to bring the company in profit within a year.
