The Privatisation Commission has paid Rs 6.1 billion to 30,900 workers of privatised industrial units under golden handshake (GHS)/voluntary separation scheme (VSS). According to a handout issued by the Privatisation Commission here, none of the industrial workers was made jobless during the past two years.
Privatisation Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said this while addressing a public meeting held at Dandot (Khewra) for the distribution of decade-old GHS/VSS claims of the National Cement Factory workers.
He said that the present government is very much conscious of workers' rights and is fully committed to safeguard them while privatising the public sector entities. Under an agreement with APSEWAC, he said, the government has ensured payment of golden handshake to the workers who opt for retirement. This includes protection of service for 12 months and sale of 10 percent shares at discounted rate to the employees who do not opt for GHS, he said.
The minister said that 244 employees of National Cement Industries, Dandot, had been paid GHS/VSS worth Rs 56.658 million, which had remained unresolved during last ten years, while 276 workers of another privatised unit, Suraj Ghee Industries, Sheikupura, would be paid Rs 22.10 million as GHS next week.
He said that 1449 workers of Kohat Cement, Gharibwwal Cement, Dandot Cement, and Ittehad Chemicals Ltd, who did not opt for GHS/VSS, have been offered 10 percent shares of these entities at 50 percent discount which would empower such workers to sit on the boards and, in case they decide to sell these shares at market rate, their benefit would be Rs 75.5 million as these shares have been sold at 50 percent discount.-PR
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