A delegation of representatives of various organisations of HEC, under the banner of HEC Sangharsh Morcha, met Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) Chief cum Finance Minister, Dr Rameshwar Oraon on Monday and submitted a memorandum to incorporate HEC under the Department of Atomic Energy or the State Government take under its control.

Oraon assured the delegation that after the Cabinet meeting of Tuesday, he would try to find a solution to the problem after discussing it.

It has been said in the memorandum that HEC is the largest and prestigious engineering industry not only in the country but also in Asia, which is known in the world as the Mother Industry.

It was inaugurated by the first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1958. Initially about 22000 permanent laborers were employed.

At present only 2,500-3,000 labourers are employed, but the production capacity which was in the initial period, even today, despite having such an old machine, the same production capacity remains intact in such a small number of labourers.

The wage revision work of labourers has been pending since 1917, many types of facilities have been cut including four months' salary and arrears, yet the workers are doing production work in a peaceful manner.

HEC has work orders worth crores but that work is not being done due to lack of working capital.

This is the only industry where cranes are made, whose glory is nowhere in the world.

In 2016, a high-level technical committee was formed under the leadership of Dr BK Saraswat, who is at present NITI Aayog member, which recommended to modernise the factory, missile man and former President, after getting impressed by it Dr APJ Abdul Kalam termed it as temple of modern factories.

To run the HEC, the Department of Atomic Energy has also given a proposal to the Department of Heavy Industries to take it under its control. After this, it has been decided in the meeting of the Atomic Energy Commission that HEC is very important for the development of India. Making this important remark, it was sent to the Prime Minister's Office.

But it is a matter of regret that in the meeting of the second team of NITI Aayog held on April 05, 2021 recommended the closure of HEC.

The recommendation has been sent to the Department of Investment and Asset Management working within the Finance Department of the Central Government.