DMK govt will probe deals with private firms: Stalin

While refusing to pay the agreed wage of Rs 380 per day to contract workers, the government has agreed to pay a daily wage of Rs 412 to private parties, he said, charging Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami of acting against the interest of existing contract workers and youth who are hoping to get jobs in the utility by employing workers from north India who are willing to work for lesser wage than what is said in the agreement.

The hasty decision to outsource jobs in 650 subdivisions was akin to electrocution, Stalin said, adding that the youth who passed out of ITIs would suffer due to this.

Engaging inexperienced private workers would affect maintenance of infrastructure and effective rectification of breakdowns, besides endangering the lives of such inexperienced workers and disrupting smooth supply of electricity, the DMK president said.

To drive home the point, he cited the example of troubles faced by the State Transport Department when the government engaged inexperienced crew during transport workers’ strike.