By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a significant step to voice its resentment over the decision of the Union Government to truncate the Palakkad railway division, the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution. The motion, passed under Rule 130, urged the Union Government to review its decision to wean away the Mangaluru region from the Palakkad rail division.
The decision, which constitutes a major setback to the State’s railway development aspirations, was adopted amid opposition from the BJP MLAs in the Assembly.
Replying to the debate on the motion, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said the general sentiment in the House was that the decision was against the interests of Keralam, but for the dissent voiced by the BJP MLAs. The Railway Ministry took the crucial decision without informing the State Government or elected representatives from the State. There was no prior communication regarding the decision to the State Government either.
Despite strong protests from the MPs of Keralam, the decision has not been reversed. Satheesan said that when the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, Telangana was given the administrative headquarters of the South Central Railway to offset the loss suffered by Andhra Pradesh. And a new South Coast Railway zone was created exclusively for the State.
Likewise, Karnataka has the South Western Railway zone, while Chennai is the headquarters of the Southern Railway. In view of these facts, the union Government should be ready to compensate Keralam for the loss incurred, either by cancelling the bifurcation decision or through other means, the Chief Minister added.
Satheesan also informed the House of its plan to meet the Union Railway Minister to press for the demand. However, contrary to the general sentiment in the House, BJP MLA V. Muralidharan said it was unfortunate that the Keralam Assembly had taken up a motion against an administrative decision of a Union Ministry. In his response, the CM said that the House had taken up the matter precisely because it was an administrative decision. If it had been a political decision, it would have been taken up outside the House, he added.
In his intervention, Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that he had written to the Union Government, in his capacity as the Speaker, urging it to reverse the decision in view of the general sentiment on the issue.
The Assembly later passed the resolution, with the dissent note of the BJP MLAs in the House.
The State Government has decided to set up a special committee to examine the issues related to the implementation of the Labour Codes and submit the necessary recommendations.
The decision to form the committee, which will include trade union representatives too, was taken at a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister. The meeting was attended also by Labour Minister Bindu Krishna and representatives of 22 trade unions. The committee has been asked to submit practical recommendations needed for framing State rules under the Labour Codes. The Secretary of the Labour Department will serve as the convener, while the Additional Secretary of the Law Department will be a member. It will also include seven representatives from various trade unions and officials of the Department. The panel has been asked to submit its report within 10 days of its formation.
The Chief Minister said that a final decision on implementing the codes will be taken only after hearing the views of all sections and considering the legal aspects. The Government will take steps within the legal framework to minimize the impact of the Labour Codes and protect the workers’ interests.
Significantly, the meeting decided to bring apprehension on the definition and threshold for workers under the Labour Codes to the attention of the Union Government. The State will also raise the demand for reducing the threshold limit. The CM assured that the Government was committed to protecting the workers’ rights and interests and would take all necessary steps in this connection.
The Chief Minister also explained the significance of implementing the Labour Codes. Trade unions, were, however, assured that they would be given an opportunity to suggest necessary amendments to the draft prepared in 2021.
In another significant step, the Keralam Government has decided to form a NoRKA-Saudi helpdesk, on the direction of the Chief Minister’s Office, to provide emergency help, services and information to Keralite expatriates and their families in Saudi Arabia.
To avail of these services, the people have been urged to contact the NoRKA Global Contact Centre at the toll-free number 18004253939 or at +91-8802012345 (for missed calls from abroad), according to a statement from the NoRKA-Roots, the field agency of the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA) in Thiruvananthapuram.
The NoRKA development officer has been asked to coordinate these operations. The statement also said that 24-hour control rooms will operate at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah for Indian citizens in Saudi Arabia. (IPA Service)
