Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 18: LIC employees under the banner of Northern Zone Insurance Employees’ Association, Srinagar Division as per the call of All India Insurance Employees’ Association observed ‘Save Public Sector Day’ at Jammu showing solidarity with the striking coal workers, who are on strike against the allotment of coal blocks for private commercial mining.
Speaking on the occasion, Pawan Gupta ,Divisional secretary NZIEA Srinagar Division strongly condemned and opposed the agenda of the NDA Government for privatizing all the Public Sector enterprises and opening the economy to full blast of both the domestic and foreign capital. The Public Sector means the property of the public, property of the Nation; and this property of the Nation is being sold to the private players.
He said important sectors of the economy like financial sector, ports, mines, space, defense etc are being opened fully for the exploitation of the private capital. The Government speaks of `Atmanirbhar Bharat’; and the public sector, which played a big role in making our country `Atmanirbhar’ (self reliant) after independence, is being destroyed. The period after independence was a period of Nationalization; and it was then that life insurance business was nationalized to form LIC of India, then GIC, then Banks and many other sectors.
It was the public sector which provided funds for the nation building and industrialization to make India self reliant in many fields. Public sector proved to be back bone of the Indian economy. The push towards privatization will have a devastating effect on the insurance industry. He opposed the decision of the Government to List LIC in Stock Exchange. He appealed to all and one to resist the move of the NDA Government to privatization of public sector and stop selling the wealth of the Nation.
Others who spoke included Romesh Chand joint secretary, Raj Kumar Sharma treasurer, Dinesh Kumar Sharma vice president, Neelam Sharma convener, Nanak Chand, Kishore Lal, Priya Sharma, Ruchi Jamwal and others.