PRIVATISATION OF ORDINANCE FACTORIES?-----------AIDEF

'Privatisation of OFs will compromise nation's security'







CHANDRAPUR: General secretary of All-India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF) C Shrikumar, expressed concern over Union Government's plans to



privatise the defence units and ordinance factories. He is here to participate in 23rd national convention of AIDEF that began on Tuesday evening at Ordnance Factory, Chanda, located near Bhadrawati.







Interacting with media persons in Chandrapur on the eve of inauguration of convention Shrikumar said, "The issue is related to security of country, hence AIDEF is opposed to privatisation of defence units. The privatisation of ordnance factories may compromise the safety and security of the country."







He informed that there are around 40 ordnance factories in the country off which Maharashtra alone has 10. These ordnance factories supply key ammunition used in army, navy and other government security agencies. There are around 4.5 lakh employees working in ordnance factories and other defence units across the country. "All the workers are opposed to privatisation of the ordnance factories and employees union is all set to take up agitation for the same," he said.







He alleged that private players in defence supply are infested with corruption. Union defence minister has banned seven such companies, which include five Indian and two foreign companies, he claimed adding that privatisation would make these defense units susceptible to corruption. "However the worker unions will not let such designs materialise," he vowed.







He informed that other employees' related problems such as anomalies in recommendations sixth pay commission, recruitment on vacant post, 100% appointments on compassionate grounds, etc will also be discussed at the length and charter of demands drafted in the convention will be forwarded to defense minister AK Antony, he said.





Around 500 representatives from across the country are expected to participate in the convention, he claimed.         SOURCE;TOI