Jhunjhunu : Jhunjhunu The number of workers in the KCC unit of Hindustan Copper Limited is decreasing day by day. Now most of the mining work is being done by contract workers, the number of regular workers has come down to around 516. Before 2008, the number of employees in the KCC unit was more than 10 thousand. Employees are retiring every year but new recruitment is not taking place. Most of the work in the KCC unit is done by contract employees only. The number of contractors is around 41. Mining and other work is being done here by different companies. Work is going on only in two plants in the KCC unit. Around 200 officers are employed in the company while 316 workers are employed permanently. Experts say that if there is regular recruitment then the production can also increase along with the hustle and bustle in KCC. Because many years of copper is still present here.
Salaries reduced for contract employees
Most of the mining work in HCL’s KCC unit is done by contract workers. They are given the government’s minimum wage of Rs 526 to Rs 1030 per day. Four categories of employees have also been created. Categories of unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled have been created in which separate wages are given for surface and separate wages for underground. Apart from the minimum wage, they get 8.33 percent bonus. Also per canteen allowance is also provided. Before going into the mine, contract workers doing mining work are given shoes, belts, caps, hand gloves and masks. At present, KCC has also announced to provide two dresses in a year to the contract employees.
High tech plants necessary
An appeal has also been filed in the Rajasthan High Court for equal pay for equal work for the contract employees of KCC. KTSS General Secretary Bidduram Saini said that the union has appealed in the High Court against the decision of the Deputy Chief Labor Commissioner, Ajmer, for the interests of every employee, which is under consideration. He says that if regular employees are recruited and new high-tech plants are set up, India can become self-reliant in copper.
