According to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, there would be only four major PSUs in strategic sectors for which no immediate disinvestment is planned. About the units owned by states, and in other sectors, she said they would also be privatised in the process. She also added that this would be part of the new ‘coherent’ public sector enterprises policy. The policy would be part of the reform measures to initiate changes. She was revealing these intentions while speaking to the press on the fifth tranche of 20-lakh crore economic package, meant for Atmanirbhar Bharat. The label remained, but concept of self- reliance went missing. Soon after, Indian Railways, a major public sector enterprise, was hacked and sold to private players.

The preparations for handing out railways started in 2017-18 itself when its budget was merged with the general budget. It was a major step that was repeatedly opposed by the Railways and other labour organisations. Ultimately the wish of the ruling regime prevailed and a 92 -year old practice of a separate budget for the country’s largest transporter was over.

It was a reversal of whatever Narendra Modi had said earlier in so many words. When he was Gujarat chief minister, he had opposed the same move of Railway Privatisation. Once again in 2014, he reiterated his stand against privatisation while campaigning for parliamentary election. He promised to the nation that there would be no privatisation of this sector. Then just a year ago, on July 12, 2019, Railway minister Piyush Goyal categorically stated at the floor of the Parliament that his Ministry has no plan to privatize the Railways. Today, a year later, Railways, one of the major public sectors, has lost its position of commanding heights.

Indian railways, the Asia’s largest public sector and fourth largest railway network in the world, runs about 14,000 passenger trains and transports over 23 million passengers every day and over 9000 freight trains in operation that amount for daily freight transport volume of over three million metric tons. It is also significant that this sector in India has been one of the biggest employers in the country. It has over 12 lakh employees and provides millions of jobs indirectly.

Even in these extreme days of COVID times, when people are suffering and perishing, workers, men, women and children walking for thousands of kms, hoping to get a little food and shelter, the government has gone on a privatisation spree. They have asserted that they wanted to be ‘absolutely clear’ about what they wanted to do. There are also indications that they would sell all non-strategic PSUs. It was stressed that ‘There was no lack of intent’ to hold them back. The government does not ‘suffer from any concern’ for humanity hence the claim that though the essential commodities act stood like one among the ten commandments for all these years, the BJP government took no time to destroy it. The Union Cabinet has gone for making changes in the sixty five year old Act also. Now onwards the food items would be deregulated including the basics like rice, pulses and onion. Would that transform the farm sector and the lives in the rural areas? The Cabinet has also approved farming produce trade and commerce (promotion and facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, to empower farmers to engage with large retailers, wholesalers and experts. Amidst the tall claims, demand itself is missing and for that the logic given is that the resources would be found as and when need arises.

In fact, the labour laws that were also among the ten commandments, face distortion today. The rights that were earned after intense struggles by the working class, are today moulded to serve the ruling regime. The starving workers, with families, reaching urban centres, are made to accept jobs with wage cut. (IPA Service)