Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has called for change in the orientation in the functioning of employees and workers of Singareni Collieries Company Limited in the backdrop of the menace of bribes for ‘each and everything’ in the company even as he announced enhancement in the interest-free housing loan to employees from ₹6 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
He expressed concern over the miners and workers having to pay bribes for obtaining ‘unfit’ certificate from the company’s medical board, seeking a change in the quarters and other issues.
“Why should you (the workers) pay for the services which are your right? We should punish those who are seeking bribe as well as those who give bribes” he said.
Addressing a meeting of Singareni workers here on Sunday following the TRS-backed TBGKS winning the majority union elections in the SCCL recently, Mr. Rao was particularly annoyed with the medical board which, he said, should be completely overhauled. A new medical board which would render selfless services to workers in taking care of their health needs would be put in place soon.
The Government would put in place a system wherein workers and employees would get their services delivered within the specified time without paying any bribes, he said.
He showered a spree of sops on the workers including the Government’s intentions to provide air-conditioning facility to the workers’ quarters with free power supply, payment of fee for children of workers who qualify for admission into premier institutions like the IITs and IIMs and a cadre scheme drawn on the lines of Coal India Limited enabling workers to get time-bound promotions besides regularisation of services of 2,750 workers which was held up because of problems pertaining to muster rolls.
“The Government is committed to provide ₹10 lakh interest-free housing loan to employees. We are prepared to set aside a portion of our profits if need be in this direction,” he said.
Launching a scathing attack on the national trade unions which contested the polls, he said that they did not bother to inform workers that the Government had set aside ₹375 crore out of the close to ₹800-crore profit earned by the company towards payment of arrears of the pay revision commission.
Mr. Rao announced his resolve to conduct a Singareni Yatra soon for personally checking the facilities and amenities made available for workers including the condition of the quarters in which they lived as also the hospitals where they undergo check-up and treatment.
