32 Lakhs Central Government Employees Appeal To PM Modi To Withdraw Decision Of Corporatization Of OFB

The 32 Lakhs Central Government employees of Railways, Defence, Postal, Income tax, Accounts and Audit, Atomic Energy, Space and Central Secretariat are represented by the Staff Side of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM). The Cabinet Secretary who is the Chairman of the National Council JCM convened a meeting of the JCM on 26 th of June 2021. In this meeting one of the agenda was not to Corporatize Government Organizations like Railway Production Units and Ordnance Factories. Before this agenda came up for discussion in the JCM the Cabinet on 16/06/2021 have decided to split the
41 Ordnance Factories in to 7 Corporations.

This decision of the Government has disappointed the Staff Side Members of the JCM. In their internal meeting held on June 25, 2021, the epresentatives of Defence Employees Federations briefed their counter parts in the Railways and other Central Government Departments about the disastrous decision taken by the Modi Government. After discussion the Staff Side decided to protest the matter and also to submit their protest in writing to the Cabinet Secretary making an appeal to the Prime Minister to reconsider the Government decision and to withdraw the same in the interest of National Security, Defence preparedness and Industrial Relations.

www.indianpsu.com accessed a copy of the Staff Side letter written by Shiva Gopal Mishra, Secretary Staff Side of National Council – JCM to the Cabinet Secretary. The same is being reproducing here for the benefit of the viewers of www,indianpsu.com –

No.NC-JCM-2021/CS/PM June 25, 2021

The Cabinet Secretary,
Government of India,

Chairman,
National Council – JCM,

Sub:- Appeal to the Government on behalf of the 32 Lakhs Central Government Employees to reconsider and withdraw the decision taken to convert the 41 Ordnance Factories in to 7 Corporations in violation of all the previous written agreements and assurances

Dear Sir,

The Staff Side of the National Council – JCM representing the 32 lakhs Central Government Employees are very much shocked, disappointed and dissatisfied with the arbitrary decision taken by the Cabinet to convert the 220 years old pioneer Defence Industry viz the 41 Ordnance Factories under the Department of Defence Production in to 7 Corporations. This decision of the Government has created an uncertainty about the future existence of these 7 Corporations and the future of the 76000 Defence Civilian Employees who are recruited as Central Government Employees. Moreover this decision has been taken by the Government ignoring the previous assurances and agreements with the Federations that Ordnance Factories would not be corporatized.

None of the employees of Ordnance Factories are prepared to accept this decision of the Government and hence agitations and protest programmes are going on in the Ordnance Factories and other Defence Establishments against the Government decision. It is also brought to our notice that the conciliation proceedings pending before the CLC (C) was concluded in a hurried and hasty manner on 15/06/2021 when the 3 major Recognized Federations (AIDEF, INDWF and BPMS) who served indefinite Strike Notice were not present in the meeting. In a nutshell we feel that the Government has taken this decision without considering the importance of Ordnance Factories to remain in the Government due to various strategic reasons such as to maintain war reserve / spare capacity to meet any emergent situation during war and peace time, fluctuation of workload, single based customer etc. Moreover the alternative and robust proposals given by the Federations for further improvement in the efficiency, accountability and autonomy of the Ordnance Factories in the Government Sector was totally ignored by the DDP. The EGOM constituted under the Chairmanship of the Defence Minister in this regard have also not given a hearing to the Federations, before taking such a major decision. This defeats the spirit of Industrial democracy and also the purpose of Joint Consultations.

The three recognized Federations which have deferred the Indefinite Strike during October 2020 have now decided to restore the indefinite Strike against the Government decision. They have submitted a detailed letter in this regard to the Defence Minister and Secretary DP. A copy of the Joint letter No. 105/AIDEF/INDWF/BPMS/21 dated 23/06 2021 addressed to the Defence Minister and Secretary DP is enclosed for your ready reference which is self-explanatory. We take this opportunity in the National Council – JCM meeting being held today under your dynamic leadership to kindly intervene in the matter and to bring our concerns, reservations on the Government decision to the notice of the Hon’ble Prime Minister to reconsider the decision taken and to withdraw the decision of converting / splintering the 41 Ordnance Factories in to 7 Corporations and also to change the status of the 76000 employees in the interest of National Security, Defence preparedness and harmonious industrial relation in the most vital and strategic Defence Industry.