Hindusthan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) is suffering for want of enough work orders and facing fund crunch all the time, as the Union Government is not doing enough to revive the oldest PSU shipyard in the country, according to the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, AP unit.

I Mutyalu, general secretary of the AP unit, and J Satya Kumar, president, said at a media conference here on Thursday that "HSL has only orders worth Rs 15,000 crore or so at present on hand and the Union Defence Ministry should place more orders on nomination basis to revive the order. Ever since HSL has been brought under the control of the Union Defence Ministry a few years ago, it is being hoped that there will be a turnaround but it is not happening, as the Union Government is not giving priority to it."

HSL was not in a position to pay the dues of the retired employees such as gratuity and the Union Government should release at least Rs 100 crore to clear the arrears. The union leaders said that Prime Minister Modi had given a call during the recent International Fleet Review for Make in India campaign in ship-building for the defence sector and therefore Hindusthan Shipyard should be given top priority.

They said the BMS would stage demonstrations all over the country on February 24 to press for fulfillment of demands already agreed to by the Union Government but which were not being implemented.

They also condemned what they called the anti-labour policies of the Government such as giving exemption to start-ups for five years from labour laws.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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