Probe into posting of workers in government undertakings: Rangasamy

PUDUCHERRY: Chief minister N Rangasamy on Monday announced into the posting of an 'unreasonable number' of casual workers in PSUs during the previous Congress regime despite the poor financial conditions of these Corporations.

Speaking to reporters, he said Puducherry Agro Services and Industries Corporation which had retrenched around 930 workers was in a very bad shape financially and had incurred Rs 23 crore debt.

Denying allegations that his government had dismissed the workers, he pointed out that the exercise was carried out in April when he was not chief minister.

He said the purpose of starting PASIC was to take care of farmers and provide them inputs, including fertilizer. But the Corporation had diverted into other business activities like sale of cloth and garments. It was now in such bad shape that one of its outlets could not even pay the monthly rent.

He also referred to the poor showing of Cooperative Milk Producers Federation, saying milk production had fallen sharply to 30,000 litres a day as against 90,000 litres in the past.

A thorough review would be held to evaluate the status of all government run undertakings to plug all deficiencies, he said.