Ensure public utilities are not affected during strike: Centre to depts

The Centre has asked all ministries to ensure that public utilities and essential services are not affected due to a nation-wide strike called by trade unions tomorrow.

The secretaries of all the government departments have been asked to take effective measures for smooth running of various services undertaken by their ministries, official sources said today.

Essential services such as banking, public transport and telecom may be hit tomorrow as 10 central trade unions will go on the strike against government's alleged indifference towards their demands and effecting anti-worker changes in labour laws.

All the secretaries have been asked to to take necessary measures to maintain continuity of production processes, operation and services including public utilities and essential services, they said.

The sources said that the government has taken various pro-active steps for their welfare.
The trade unions will strike work protesting against what they call the government's apathy towards their 12-point charter of demands including a monthly minimum wage of Rs 18,000, controlling price rise and assured minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000.

Indian Railways and other central government employees will not participate in strike as government has already constituted a committee to look into their demand of raising monthly minimum wage from Rs 18,000 to about Rs 26,000 under the 7th Pay Commission, they said.