Staff oppose shifting of CIPET to Delhi

The institute’s director (administration) Anil KuMar Singh said “only the Head Office is being shifted to New Delhi for better monitoring and control.” However, C Balakrishnan, president All India CIPET United Employees’ Association disagrees saying, “if the Head Office is shifted, only the teaching unit will remain. In these days of digital working spaces there is no need to shift the HO as communication is possible through video conferencing. The Head Office is being shifted only because it is in Tamil Nadu” he said. 

Several political parties in the state have also opposed the move and have even voiced their angst against the Union government. MDMK leader Vaiko in a statement said “CIPET is financially strong to meet the needs of the 6th and 7th pay commission needs of its staff without depending on the Union government. Attempts by Congress government in 2007 to disinvest CIPET had been given up due to stiff resistance.” CIPET’s financial strength is proved by the department of chemicals and petro-chemicals 2015-16 annual report which states, “During the financial year 2015-16, CIPET achieved an income of Rs 120.69 crore (till November 2015) against the budgeted income of Rs 210.00 crore (un-audited). During the same period, CIPET incurred revenue expenditure of Rs 160.03 crore against a budgeted Rs 187.12 crore (un-audited).  

CIPET already has a corpus fund of Rs 160 crore,” Balakrishnan said. “The shift will affect 250 local staff. CIPET has a total of 6,500 students spread across India including 600 in Chennai. We plan to conduct a dharna in front of the campus on October 25 to highlight the issue and ensure that justice is done to this premier institute,” Balakrishnan added. 

“At least if the institute was sick, there would be some justification for it being shifted. But what is the need when the unit is financially strong and acting as an example to other central government institutions?”  the union leader asked.  Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi president D. Velmurugan said, “moves to shift CIPET in 1999 when Suresh Prabhu was the department minister was resisted by the state government. A similar attempt made in 2007 was also foiled.”

The PMK condemned the Centre’s move to shift CIPET’s Head Office to New Delhi and said it will economically cripple the institution.

In a statement, PMK leader Dr S Ramadoss said that the Centre should abandon the decision, as this premier institution has been one of the landmarks in the state. “Such a decision seems to have been taken with a political motive and this is highly condemnable,” the leader said and added that the CIPET was brought to Chennai, when R Venkatraman was Union Industries Minister under the guidance of Kamarajar. “There is no need to shift CIPET and as per agreement, its Head Office should function only in Chennai. If it is shifted to Delhi, CIPET will incur expenses of Rs 600 crore, which will cripple it economically,” the PMK founder added.