Unions should unite to boost child education and healthcare: Sen

Santiniketan, Dec 20 (UNI) Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen today said the various unions in the country need to work together to help the development of children in the country.

Speaking at a meeting of Pratichi(India) Trust titled ''Role of Mass Initiative in Child Education and Healthcare'', Dr Sen here said that unions need to unite their resources for the development of children in the country.

''Industrialists do not want trade unions to survive. They fail to understand that it is not a deterrant to development and good work culture but a pre-requisite for the survival of democracy,'' the renowned economist said on the sidelines of combining the initiatives of the trade unions for the development of the nation.

''It is a wrong notion harboured by the industrialists, which needs to be changed,'' he said and added that this was the reason why the USSR collapsed.

Pratichi has called for a meeting of the unions in Kolkata on December 27.

Today's discussion was attended by 150 representatives of several schools all over the state, including academicians.

Altogether eight proposals have been placed and accepted by the meeting, which will be placed before the state government for their approval.

UNI