Thu Jan 01 16:45:33 UTC 2026: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:
Summary:
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) held its 18th All India Conference in Visakhapatnam. They passed resolutions condemning two key pieces of legislation passed by the central government: the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G Act, 2025) and the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025. CITU claims the VB-G RAM G Act effectively dismantled the MGNREGA, undermining rural employment guarantees and burdening state governments. They also strongly criticized the SHANTI Act, arguing it opens the nuclear energy sector to private and foreign interests, compromising safety and oversight. Additionally, CITU criticized the central government’s labor codes, viewing them as an attack on workers’ rights, and praised worker agitations for preventing the privatization of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
News Article:
CITU Demands Repeal of Key Legislation, Cites Anti-Worker Policies
Visakhapatnam, India – January 1, 2026 – The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has issued a strong condemnation of two recent pieces of legislation passed by the central government, demanding their immediate repeal. Speaking at a press conference following the 18th All India Conference in Visakhapatnam, CITU General Secretary Tapan Sen denounced the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G Act) as a “retrograde enactment” that has effectively dismantled the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
According to Sen, the VB-G RAM G Act replaces a statutory right to employment with a discretionary scheme, shifting financial and administrative burdens onto state governments and undermining the federal structure of the Constitution. “It has overturned the statutory right and entitlement into a discretionary scheme, along with imposing financial and administrative burden on the State governments, undermining the federal structure of the Constitution,” he said.
CITU also vehemently opposed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025. The organization argues that the Act opens India’s strategic nuclear energy sector to private and foreign corporate interests, diluting safety standards, accountability, and workers’ rights. “The Act is a dangerous, anti-people and anti-sovereignty legislation that opens India’s most hazardous and strategic energy sector to private and foreign corporate interests,” the resolution stated.
Beyond specific legislation, Sen criticized the central government’s labor codes, alleging they are an “attack on the rights of workers” and aimed at suppressing labor unions. He highlighted the successful worker agitations that have thus far prevented the privatization of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant as an example of the power of collective action.
CITU has called on the working class to continue its agitation against what it perceives as anti-worker and anti-people policies of the central government. The resolutions passed at the conference signal a potentially heightened period of industrial action and political mobilization.
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