Ramadoss urges policy declaration against disinvestment

Chennai, Jul 7 (UNI) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), a constituent of the Congress-led UPA Government, today urged the Centre to issue a policy declaration that it would not disinvest any of the profit-making Public Sector Undertakings(PSUs) in future.

In a statement here, PMK founder S Ramadoss said the Centre's announcement that it would put on hold all disinvestment proposals and decisions was a ''delayed but welcome decision''.

Stating that he was the first to call for the reconsideration of the decision to divest ten per cent of equity in Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), Dr Ramadoss said the proposal was in contravention to the Common Minimum Programme(CMP) of the UPA Government.

The Centre's decision to put on hold the disinvestment move, which was taken following the opposition by trade unions and various political parties and efforts taken by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, had made more than 40,000 NLC employees and workers happy, he added.

The PMK leader reiterated that the Centre should take a firm decision not to disinvest any of the PSUs.

UNI AKN AJ MSJ HT1812