CITU denounces Govt decision to close down 9 Railway Printing Presses and also 12 Central Govt Presses
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions denounces Central Govt’s decision to close down 9 printing presses under Indian Railways and 12 printing presses under Central Govt.
In a formal communication by the Executive Director Railway Stores (G) of the Ministry of Railways dated 07-02-2018, it has been notified that 3 ticket printing presses and 6 general printing presses under Indian Railways will be closed down within next six months. These presses are located at Kolkata, Kurseong, Kharagpur, Garden Reach, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Ajmer, Mahalaxmi/WR and Tiruchirapally. These presses are supplying different divisions of Railways with railway tickets and other stationeries of daily use for railway services. That means the requirement of these essential printed items for railways will continue to be there but the railway presses producing these items will be closed down to facilitate the business of chosen private players.
The same closure spree of the Govt at the centre is going on in respect of the functional printing presses directly under the central government. The concerned Minister of Urban Development has already announced closure of 12 central govt printing presses and the closure process is being actively pursued thereby destroying the productive activities in all these presses.
It is clear, under the loudly touted slogan of “Make in India” by the Govt, what is being actively pursued is gradual destruction of indigenous manufacturing capabilities in different areas of the economy and quality and decent employment in several thousands are going to be eliminated just to ensure business and profit for big businesses at the cost of national exchequer.
CITU condemns such destructive and employment killing policy of the Govt of India and calls upon the trade union movement and that in Railways and Central Govt sector in particular to oppose and resist such nefarious and destructive designs.
Issued by
(Tapan Sen)
General Secretary
