It is not just corporates and individuals who are coming forward to replenish the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) as the State strives hard to come out of the calamitous floods, but trade unions too.
While individual unions in the State have already come out with offers of support to the massive funds mobilisation effort mounted by the State government, the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), one of the biggest Central trade unions, has decided to mobilise funds running into several crores for the CMDRF. To begin with, the HMS would raise ₹20 crore from three major unions under its wings, the Western Central Railway Employees Union, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board United Engineers and Workers Union and the Hind Kadhal Mazdoor Union (working in the mining industry), veteran HMS leader Thampan Thomas and HMS Central executive committee member C.P. John said.
The HMS has also appealed to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to immediately call a meeting of leaders of various Central trade unions to seek their support for the fund-raising initiative. If members of all these unions, numbering around 2.5 crore, contributed a day’s salary, the State would be able to raise around ₹5,000 crore. The government should immediately prepare a master plan for the purpose and get in touch with the trade unions and major public and private sector companies, Mr. John said.