The renaming of Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) to NLC India Ltd has kicked up a controversy with the management extending support to the Centre’s decision and trade unions suspecting a hidden agenda behind the Centre’s move.
A top official of NLC told The Hindu , “The name was changed with a view to according a pan India status for the undertaking, which has a presence in several States, including Tamil Nadu. The Centre took the decision to rename it as NLC India Ltd only after obtaining the approval of shareholders in April. There is no hidden agenda and nothing would happen to the present status and other aspects of welfare of employees and workers in NLC.”
The official clarified that the name of NLC had been retained in all major projects implemented in Tamil Nadu and other States, including Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and there was no room for any doubt over the move. The corporation termed the allegation of “hidden motive”, propagated by certain sections, as baseless.
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However, the All India Trade Union Congress was not satisfied with the justification. M. Sekar, district secretary of the AITUC, said anything could happen to the detriment of employees and the future of NLC in the backdrop of the name change.
He said neither the stakeholders including employees nor those who had allotted their land for the establishment of NLC had been consulted.