THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), in a statement issued on September 15, has congratulated the farmers of Rajasthan who have compelled the BJP government in Rajasthan to concede to their major demands through their resolute struggle.

Thousands of farmers participated in the ‘mahapadav’ at district headquarters across the state since September 1. Rasta rokos were held for three days bringing life to a standstill in around 20 districts.

AT the call of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the joint platform of nine unions of workmen and officers of the banking industry, the workforce of the industry all over india, including those of the private sector banks, foreign banks and regional rural banks and cooperative banks also in some states, have gone on strike on August 22 to express their unequivocal opposition to the neo-liberal reforms of the banking sector being pursued by the central government.

OVER six thousand ASHA workers from 11 states marched from Ram Lila Maidan and collected at Jantar Mantar to submit around 50 lakh signatures on a memorandum to the central government. The signatures were of ASHA workers, facilitators and beneficiaries as well as the general public. 

The main demands were:

Ø To make the NHM a permanent programme of the government.

Ø No privatisation of the public health system.

Ø To improve infrastructure in all public health facilities.

Ø To increase the allocation for health to at least 6 per cent of the GDP.

THE one day strike on July 27, called by the unions and associations of BSNL, was near total. The officers and workers of BSNL have massively responded to the strike call. The strike took place demanding wage revision from January 1, pension revision, superannuation benefits to the directly recruited employees and to stop the attacks on trade union rights in BSNL.  The success of the strike was beyond expectations in almost all circles. Most of the customer care centres, administrative offices, and telephone exchanges wore a deserted look.

CAN any Indian citizen imagine in his wildest dream that the central government will contemplate to liquidate the State Bank of India, the largest public sector bank in our country, doing yeomen service to the common man, serving more than 25 crore account holders and commanding one third of the total banking business?  Can anyone think that the government at the centre will attempt to close down Life Insurance Corporation of India, the largest public sector insurance company with no match in the private sector and which has doubled its contribution to the 12th Five Year Plan compared to th