Raebareli: Employees of Sheena textiles,
which is lying closed for past over one year, met
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday in whose presence
the management assured them that the unit will start soon.
An all-women delegation of 1000 workers met Gandhi here
on the second day of her three-day visit to her parliamentary
constituency and apprised her of their problems, prompting her
to call and direct the owner of the company Prakash Chug to
start the unit as soon as possible, party sources said here.
The unit started in 2007 but was closed due to financial
crunch in July 2009, since then the women employed here have
been demanding its opening so that they can earn their
livelihood, according to the locals.
The women had earlier stopped Rahul Gandhi's cavalcade
during his visit and raised their demands.
The delegation after meeting Gandhi felt happy and said
that they were assured by the owner that the unit will start
from tomorrow.
Besides them, over 600-700 people including locals,
representatives of NGOs, Indian Telephone Industry (ITI),
Anganbari workers and local leaders met Gandhi and told her
about their problems.
Anganbari workers told Gandhi that they got meagre
honorarium of Rs 1700 per month when their services were
utilised in pulse polio, census and other programmes.
"We asked the MP to increase our honorarium. We asked
her that even in MNREGA the minimum wage is Rs 100 per day and
we should be paid more," an Anganbari worker said.
The delegation of ITI workers asked Gandhi to ensure
revival of the unit so that their jobs could be saved.
The locals of Raebareli demanded an electric crematorium,
transport nagar, besides opening up of a closed Sugar mill in
the area.
Representatives of over 10 NGOs met Gandhi and informed
her about their difficulties, including problems in getting
loans and government aids.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, November 30, 2010, 23:45