Trade union leaders met Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Chennai on Wednesday and urged him to take up with the Union government the need to reopen National Textile Corporation (NTC) mills.
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The union leaders pointed out that only 23 NTC mills were in operation across the country and these included seven in Tamil Nadu. The mills, which provide employment to almost 5,000 people in the State, were closed down in March 2020 when the country went into a lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19.
Though the workers are receiving 50 % wages, the mills were yet to be reopened. This had taken a severe toll among the workers as they struggled to meet the daily essential expenses. The trade unions had represented to the Union government several times and were assured that all the mills will be opened in phases by the end of March 2021. However, that did not happen.
Hence , the Chief Minister should take up the issue with the Central government and take steps to reopen the NTC mills, they said.