Cabinet approves new PLR for port and dock workers

New Delhi, Feb 8 (UNI) In a bonanza to 66,000 port and dock employees, the Union Cabinet today approved productivity-linked reward (PLR) to them in accordance with a new scheme that would be valid from 2002-03 to 2009-10.

Briefing reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the decision, which would entail an annual outgo of about Rs 40 crore, would be reviewed thereafter and further action would be taken with fresh cabinet approval.

Mr Chidambaram said the decision would benefit about 66,000 port and dock workers, employees and officers.

The yearly outgo of about Rs 40 crore, including ad hoc payment for the years 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06, had already been made, which is subject to adjustments with reference to the payments due as per the new scheme.

''Therefore, for these years, only the difference between the PLR due and the PLR paid will have to be made,'' he clarified.

For 2006-07 and onwards, till 2009-10, payments will be made as per the new scheme as approved by the government, he said, adding that the expenditure on account of PLR payments would be made by Major Port Trusts and Dock Labour Boards from their own resources without any budgetary support from the government.

A Shipping Ministry official said the Cabinet approval was a virtual endorsement of Shipping Minister T R Baalu, who had proposed annual payment of PLR on the basis of the performance and productivity of all major ports.

The new scheme is based on three parameters -- average turn round time of ships, average ship berth day output and unit cost of handling.

The base year for the purpose of calculation of PLR will be fixed as average performance achieved for each selected parameter during the preceding three years as compared to the performance of a particular year.

The official said the new scheme was arrived at after detailed deliberations with the leaders of five major federations in major ports.

''With the approval of the new PLR scheme, the three-and-a-half-year-old dispute pending before the National Tribunal stands resolved,'' he said.

UNI