PM holds Neyveli Lignite decision

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to keep all disinvestment decisions and proposals about the Neyveli Lignite Corporation on hold following concerns voiced by some constiuents of the United Progressive Alliance government.

"There have been representations from some of the constituents and allies of the UPA about the process of disinvestment in some public sector enterprises," PM's Media Adviser Sanjaya Baru said in New Delhi.

"Taking into account their concerns, the prime minister has decided to keep all disinvestment decisions and proposals on hold," he said.

Foillowing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's threat to pull out of the UPA on the NLC disinvestment, Union ministers and senior DMK leaders Dayanidhi Maran and A Raja met the prime minister on Thursday and conveyed to him the 'views' of their party chief.

Emerging

from the meeting, Maran told reporters the DMK wanted the matter to be sorted out collectively within the UPA.

Asked if DMK would reconsider its decision to pull out from the UPA government on the issue, he said, "The DMK is part of the UPA. We have to work collectively and sort out the matter within the UPA."

Earlier, Karunanidhi said in Chennai, "When the Centre is unable to accept the NLC workers' demand, we are considering whether we should continue in the UPA government and accept responsibility for the decision.

Workers' strike enters third day: Meanwhile, mining operations and power generation in the NLC remained paralysed as the indefinite strike by its workers protesting the Centre's decision to disinvest 10 per cent shares in the public sector company entered the third day on Thursday.

Generation of 100 MW from one thermal unit to sustain supply to households and hospitals in Neyveli township was scaled down to 50 MW from Thursday, NLC Chief Manager Muthukumarasamy told PTI.

This was decided at a meeting of workers' unions, management, police and revenue officials convened by Cuddalore District Collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi on Wednesday night after the unions called for picketing of the thermal unit on Thursday protesting generation of 100 MW as against the 50 MW agreed earlier.

Though the NLC management maintained that 50 MW was not sufficient for sustaining the essential supplies, it finally agreed to scale down the generation as the unions stuck to their stand. Following this, the trade unions called off the picketing programme. 

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