State rejects 5-day week proposal

MUMBAI, Dec 1: The Shiv Sena-BJP government today rejected the proposal of the Finance Department to drastically cut public holidays and ...

MUMBAI, Dec 1: The Shiv Sena-BJP government today rejected the proposal of the Finance Department to drastically cut public holidays and introduce the system of five-days a week as recommended by the Fifth Pay Commission.

On the other major Cabinet decisions, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said the term of the three statutory development boards for Vidarbha, Marathwada and Rest of Maharashtra has been extended by five years from April 1999. He said the Cabinet has sanctioned Rs 25 crore for the revival of the sick Empress Mills at Nagpur and Narsing Mills at Solapur.

Briefing media persons after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Joshi said while there will be no reduction in number of public holidays 25, casual leaves have been reduced from 12 to eight and two optional holidays have been cancelled.

In its proposal, the Finance as well as the General Administration departments had recommended to reduce the public holidays from 25 to four, further cut the casual leaves and introduce five-days a week asrecommended by the Fifth Pay Commission.

8220;Since the Centre has not reduced the public holidays, therefore the State Government also decided not to take such a decision,8221; Joshi said.

About the release of funds to mills, Joshi said, 8220;While Rs 16 crore will be given to Empress Mills, Rs 9 crore will be released for the Solapur Mill. The funds will be generated by disposing of 77,337 sq mts of land belonging to the Empress Mills, Nagpur,8221; the Chief Minister said.

Joshi said it has been proposed to sell the land to the Maharashtra State Industrial Development Corporation, which will set up a modern readymade garment complex there. In addition, Rs 10 crore will be given to the Maharashtra State Textile Corporation for purchasing cotton, payment of electricity bills and labour dues.

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When asked about the revival of sick and closed textile mills in metropolis, Joshi said nothing has been decided as yet and hoped that favourable decision would soon be arrived at. 8220;Though the proposal is pending before theCabinet, we have not been able to take a decision. Now we are giving top most priority to the issue. However, the mill owner8217;s right to property is an impediment in the process,8221; he added.

On the hike in the prices of pav,

Joshi said his government cannot agree on the bakery owners demand to make available wheat flour at the rate of Rs 600 per bag. The market rate is Rs 875-900 per bag and at the most the State Government can reduce the rate by Rs 100. The Central Government has alloted 50,000 m tonnes of wheat from the Centre8217;s quota to the State for the next four months. Even then, the State Government cannot agree to the demand of Rs 600 per bag.

Joshi also hinted at an expansion of the State Cabinet before the winter session of the legislature which begins from December 14 at Nagpur. He said it will be a small expansion and a few new faces would be inducted to fill in the vacancies caused due to sacking of some of the Cabinet members.