Various trade unions (TUs) have strongly reacted to the Centre’s decision of cancelling the ESIC Medical College, Odisha proposal alleging that the decision has been taken on political considerations.
Even BMS, the trade union wing of BJP, has become critical of the NDA Government’s decision on the medical college whose foundation stone had already been laid by the UPA Government and more than Rs 13 crore has already been spent for the same.
At a meeting held here, leaders of trade unions like BMS, CITU, AITUC and Odisha Construction Workers’ Union protested the decision. “Such an unpopular decision for Odisha has been taken for political considerations only because Odisha is headed by a non-BJP Government,” opined most of the leaders, including Subash Singh, chairman of the Odisha Construction Workers’ Welfare Board. “This is not only an injustice for the State but to the entire working community who along with their family members would have been immensely benefitted from it,” added Singh.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had requested the UPA Government for establishment of an ESIC Medical College, a dental college and a nursing college. Considering genuineness of the proposals, the UPA Government had agreed to it. Consequently, the then Union labour Minister laid the foundation stone at Bhubaneswar, and some infrastructure, including a lengthy boundary wall, was constructed.
Informing that 12 ESIC Medical Colleges approved by earlier Government is going on in different States, Singh demanded that the Centre continue Odisha project as early as possible.
He too criticized the Cetnre for spending only 1.8 per cent of welfare funds for unorganized workers, who constitute 93 per cent of the total working class of the country and contribute nearly 70 per cent for the GDP.
The welfare spending is 12 per cent in the USA and 30 per cent in the European countries, Singh informed.
Among others, trade union leaders Jagdish Biswal, Prasant padhi, Gadadhar Kuanr, Rabindra Mohanty, laxmi Khilari and Indrajit Tandi agreed to Singh’s contention.