Sir,

Apropos your editorial "Lop-sided Focus (Feb.8). The nearly two crore organized employees of the Central Government, State government, public-sector corporations, local authorities, educational institutions and companies have their wages and dearness allowance revised every year. While the organized Labour is fully compensated against inflation, 26.5 crore people among the unorganised labour, four crore children in the labour market and 27 crore people living below the poverty line are the worst affected by the inflation, as their minimum wages and D.A. are not revised and there is no one to speak for them.

The Finance Minister was prompt in discontinuing the subsidy for the Public Distributing Scheme and raising prices of goods sold at fair-price shops. But he was unable to displease the agriculturists and organized employees. In order to control inflation, the Finance Minister should give a fixed D.A. and discontinue the payment of leave travel concession, which is a payment made at the cost of the unorganised labour. The Central government can thus save about Rs.1,600 crores per year. Another Rs.10,000 crores per year can be saved if the organized employees are not paid the revision of D.A. and L.T.C.

Devoted, selfless workers should form a new political party for the unorganised labour, which can plead for them and get their dues and curb the demands of the 14 crore people, who consist of mainly the organized employees, rich agriculturists, professionals and businessmen.

VASANT J. DESAI
AHMEDABAD.

DATE : 15/02/1992.
TIMES OF INDIA.