Voluntary Retirement maximum under textile industry

New Delhi, June 18 (UNI) Despite the textile sector registering an average growth rate of over 7-8 per cent in 2005-06, maximum employees under the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) have taken voluntary retirement.

This is followed by coal and telecommunications, which grew at four and over 25 per cent respectively during the same period, according to a study on VRS in PSUs by industry body Assocham.

Almost 6637 CPSEs employees, under the Ministry of Textiles, ranging from lower to upper-middle division preferred for VRS in 2005-06, against 5,608 in the preceding year, mainly due to technological infusion in them.

''The number of VRS optees from CPSEs during 2005-06 were 13,661. The total number of separated employees trained and redeployed under the scheme include 28,718 and 15,464,'' Assocham President Venugopal N Dhoot said.

CPSEs employees, under the Ministry of Coal, who opted for VRS in 2005-06 were 3,232 against 4,348 in 2004-05 followed by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), in which 1,014 employees opted for VRS against 2,314 in 2004-05, reveals the chamber analysis.

CPSEs employees, under the Ministry of Steel, who opted for voluntary retirement in 2005-06 were 1,001 against 2,354 in the preceding year.

The reason for voluntary retirement is less on choice of employees and more because of technological infusion, which called for downsising the staff strength, says the Assocham analysis.

Some of the leading utilities in textiles sector, where a large number of employees opted for VRS in 2005-06, include NTC Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan units. Here, 2,055 employees preferred to avail of VRS against its units in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala in which a total 9,918 employees preferred for VRS.

The central utilities under the Ministry of Coal, in which a larger number of employees sought VRS, include Bharat Coking Coal Ltd 1,118, Central Coalfields Ltd 792, Coal India Ltd 720 and others in 2005-06.

With regard to utilities under the Ministry of Steel, in which VRS was chosen by employees include Ferro Scrap Nigam Ltd 67, Sponge Iron India Ltd 881 and Hindustan Steel Works Construction Ltd 30 and others in 2005-06, adds the analysis.

The study also suggests the inclusion of VRS optees including executives, non-executives and workmen of CPSEs under the scheme of Counselling, Retraining and Redeployment (CRR).

The scheme is aimed at rehabilitation of separated employees mainly in self-employment activities. The steps taken to improve the standard of training for better employment opportunities include updating the course curriculum from time to time, surveys to ascertain the trades in demand, post training support, introducing multi-skill training, display and exhibition of products etc.

''During 2005-06, banking sector has been one of the sectors in which VRS was not opted as expected, because when the government introduced VRS scheme way back couple of years ago, the banking sector took lead in responding to it. This resulted in acute shortage in banking staff, Mr Dhoot said.

After experiencing shortages, the commercial banks discouraged extension of VRS to their employees to take on the working pressure as a result from 2004-05 onwards, the banking and financial sector virtually it witnessed no VRS within their institutional arrangements, he added.

UNI