Employees oppose restructuring of Cashew Development Corp

Bhubaneswar, Mar 30 (UNI) Orissa State Cashew Development Corporation Employees Association (OSCDCEA) today strongly opposed restructuring of the Corporation by the state government through Voluntary Retired Scheme (VRS).

OSCDCEA President Bikram Keshari Burma told newspersons here that the government with the assistance of the Department for International Development (DFID) was forcing the employees to go on VRS.

He said since the government had no plan and programme he apprehended that a conspiracy was on to liquidate the profit-making corporation in the name of restructuring.

Mr Burma claimed that the existing staff strength was much less than the sanctioned strength and there was no surplus staff as per the yardstick, 130 casual employees and two regular staff had already been issued orders to take VRS and others were likely to be shunted out in phases.

The BJD MLA said that as against the sanctioned strength of 6000 casual workers only 458 NMR and 188 regular employees were now running the show.

The OSCDCEA President said the corporation was running on profit since 1995 and was paying approximately Rs 15 lakh dividend to the state government per year.

Mr Burma said that since there was high demand for cashewnuts in the national and international market, the area under the corporation for cultivation of cashewnuts should be doubled from the existing 30,000 to 60,000 hectares and more employees should be recruited to increase the production.

Mr Burma also said that both in respect with area and production Orissa is the third state in the country after Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

He said Orissa cultivates cashew nuts on 1.26 lakh hectares and produces 78,000 tons of cashew.

The OSCDCEA President said the employees would not hesitate to resort to a peaceful agitation if the government did not stop shunting out employees in the name of restructuring forthwith.

UNI BD LL AB 1609