Jamshedpur, March 9: After widespread resentment, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday withdrew his budget proposal to tax 60 percent of provident fund (PF) withdrawals effective from April 1.
The announcement has brought huge relief to the employees all around the country as well as in the industrial town of Jamshedpur.
All the labor unions including the BJP-backed Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS) were threatening to launch a strike if the tax proposal was not rolled back.
Several trade unions in the city including All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) , Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) will celebrate March 10 as �Prativad Diwas� in Jamshedpur along with the whole of India against the central government�s alleged anti-labor policy.
�Huge development has taken place as the central government has rolled back proposed tax on PF withdrawals. The voice of the employees has been heard, but it has been done keeping in mind the ensuing Assembly elections in five states,� said INTUC leader Rakeshwar Pandey addressing a press conference on Wednesday.
He added, �The Modi-led central government is working only for the industrialists and laborers� voice is being suppressed. In a nation-wide program several labor unions will stage a united protest before the DC office and later submit an 11-point demand memorandum to DC addressed to the President of India on March 10.�
Pandey further said, �We demand Rs 18000 as minimum monthly wage for the laborers as against the Rs 255 per day currently. In addition, outsourcing should finish and contract laborers should be provided wage equivalent to permanent employee.
Sealing on bonus and PF should be removed and gratuity money should be increased,� he added.
R. Ravi Prasad, Tata Workers� Union president and INTUC leader said, �We demand the central government roll back the amendments made in the labor laws, which are against the laborers and all the laborers should be brought in the scope of social security.�
Bijay Khan of INTUC said the agitation has just started and it will take massive lead in days ahead. After Holi, the agitation would spread to Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
Also present at the press conference were Om prakash Singh of AICCTU, Bhagwan Singh, Shahnawaz Alam, Bijay Khan, Ramashray Prasad, BK Dinda, Arvind Pandey of INTUC, Vijaykant Lal Das of CITU, Dinesh Sharma of HMS, BN Singh of AITUC and others.
