Port Blair, Sept 02: Having felt the sinking nerves of the employees of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Forest and Plantation Development Corporation Ltd (ANIFDCL), Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has again placed the burning issues related to the employees of ANIFPDCL, functioning as a PSU under administrative control of the Ministry of Environment and Forest before the Prime Minister of India.
Mr. Sharma has again written in his letter that the Prime Minister has already been appraised of the misery, anguish and anxiety of the employees of the Corporation by him.
Mr. Sharma, in his letter dated 1st September, 2012, has brought to the kind notice of the PM that the regular employees of ANIFPDCL have still been deprived of the benefit of VIth pay Commission and the industrial workmen have not been given pay revision for the last 20 years despite a settlement reached between the workmen and the management of ANIFPDCL in 2007 as the proposal for revival and restructuring of the ANIFPDCL (which is under consideration) is delayed.
They are worst hit by the 2004 Tsunami and are physically and psychologically disillusioned. The likely socio-economic fallout of having about 1500 such families comprising more than 5000 members would be grave and hard to contain including those directly dependent, there are perhaps about 10,000 such individuals who provide goods and services to the business as well as employees and their future would be jeopardized.
Mr. Sharma has further added in his above letter that, whilst the revival and restructuring of the ANIFPDCL remains “under consideration”, the business projects being of ill health, are not earning enough to meet the wages and salaries of the employees and other statutory expenses. The Ministry of Environment & Forest has been extending periodic assistance in the form of interest bearing loans, to supplement. The employees have had to go through immense pressure these days each time the processing of these loan instalments are delayed, being unsure for how long they may have to wait for their due wages/salaries.
Mr. Sharma has pleaded that the Congress Party has consistently been taking up the issue with the Andaman & Nicobar Administration and also with the Government of India to find a harmonious solution to salvage the Corporation as well its employees form financial crisis and it is Party’s sincere belief that any issue would get propelled to it is ultimate logical conclusion once brought to esteemed notice of the Prime Minister. Mr. Sharma has requested and appealed to the PM to bestow his kind personal attention for expeditious clearance of the Cabinet proposal submitted by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration as regard to change of ownership of ANIFPDCL to Andaman Nicobar Administration, which is at present is waiting as a Cabinet proposal for approval which will give an end to the uncertainty of the employees and workers of ANIFPDCL.
