Patiala June 18:
Resentment prevails among the field staff of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in Punjab on account of holding them responsible for the wheat stock storage loss and railway transit loss.
According to the leaders of the FCI General Staff Union, the management is chargesheeting the employees and penalising them heavily, notwithstanding the fact that field staff was not responsible either for the storage loss or the railway transit loss.
National general secretary of the union Mohinder Singh claimed that from total strength of 2,000 field staff members of the FCI in Punjab, the management has chargesheeted 90 per cent of them. Terming the step as dictatorial, he said, “As per the guidelines, wheat stock has to be shifted within three months. But, because of scarcity of storage space, wheat stock is being stored on unscientific open plinths for duration varying between six months to a year. Resultantly, due to rainfall, rats and other factors, the wheat stock suffers damage.”
He further said loss in rice was also because of the prolonged storage period. “On account of storage of rice for longer duration, the moisture content in the rice decreases which leads to reduction in the weight of rice grain. Also, field staff members are not responsible for the railway transit loss. As per the rules, once the wheat/rice stock is dispatched from Punjab, the counting of bags sent has to be done within 24 hours of the unloading but this practice is not being followed and even after one month of unloading, the field employees were held responsible for the railway transit loss”, he added.
National president of the FCI General Staff Union, Ramesh Chand Rana said at present, the FCI management was imposing heavy penalty on the field staff and it was being deducted from the monthly salary of employees. “Chargesheeting the employees for the storage loss is uncalled for. In reality, the main reason behind the storage loss and railway transit loss is mismanagement on the part of the FCI management”, he said.
Rana further said the FCI employees were forced to load rice/wheat round the clock and no overtime was being paid to them. “Furthermore, no transfer policy has been framed by the FCI management till date. Employees are being transferred in a pick and choose manner. Our union demands that a transfer policy should be framed in consultation with the office-bearers of our union”, he added.
Resentment prevails among the field staff of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in Punjab on account of holding them responsible for the wheat stock storage loss and railway transit loss.
According to the leaders of the FCI General Staff Union, the management is chargesheeting the employees and penalising them heavily, notwithstanding the fact that field staff was not responsible either for the storage loss or the railway transit loss.
National general secretary of the union Mohinder Singh claimed that from total strength of 2,000 field staff members of the FCI in Punjab, the management has chargesheeted 90 per cent of them. Terming the step as dictatorial, he said, “As per the guidelines, wheat stock has to be shifted within three months. But, because of scarcity of storage space, wheat stock is being stored on unscientific open plinths for duration varying between six months to a year. Resultantly, due to rainfall, rats and other factors, the wheat stock suffers damage.”
He further said loss in rice was also because of the prolonged storage period. “On account of storage of rice for longer duration, the moisture content in the rice decreases which leads to reduction in the weight of rice grain. Also, field staff members are not responsible for the railway transit loss. As per the rules, once the wheat/rice stock is dispatched from Punjab, the counting of bags sent has to be done within 24 hours of the unloading but this practice is not being followed and even after one month of unloading, the field employees were held responsible for the railway transit loss”, he added.
National president of the FCI General Staff Union, Ramesh Chand Rana said at present, the FCI management was imposing heavy penalty on the field staff and it was being deducted from the monthly salary of employees. “Chargesheeting the employees for the storage loss is uncalled for. In reality, the main reason behind the storage loss and railway transit loss is mismanagement on the part of the FCI management”, he said.
Rana further said the FCI employees were forced to load rice/wheat round the clock and no overtime was being paid to them. “Furthermore, no transfer policy has been framed by the FCI management till date. Employees are being transferred in a pick and choose manner. Our union demands that a transfer policy should be framed in consultation with the office-bearers of our union”, he added.
