Ex-servicemen should be deployed for facility management, like equipment maintenance and housekeeping duties, not only in industries and offices but also government establishments, Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju said.
'Facility management needs a disciplined work force. This need can be met by the considerable number of people below officer level coming out of the defence forces every year. These are trained and disciplined work force,' Raju told IANS on the sidelines of a meet organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). An estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people retire from the defence forces every year.
'Applicability of facilities management can be developed for all types of infrastructures like townships, factories, hospitals, retail, commercial establishments, airports, national and state highways, railway stations, military and government establishments to bring about a professional process to maintain them well,' the minister stated.
He revealed that some defence veterans were being reemployed by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to bridge the shortage of trained instructors.
'It is important that youngsters should be made aware of the need for cleanliness in workspace and public areas. Through awareness modules in the NCC, this need can be met and youngsters trained for better facility management,' the minister stated.
Similarly, services of former defence personnel could be utilised in the case of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Development scheme, under which 63 cities have been identified for development, Raju said.
Pointing to the dismal state of the South Block in New Delhi and other government establishments, the minister said cleanliness could be ensured through the deployment of trained facility management personnel.
Nalini Kaul, director of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said there had been remarkable improvement in the 50-year-old hospital since the facility management -- from engineering, equipment maintenance, housekeeping to pantry and other processes except doctors and nursing - was given to a specialist agency.
'The entire work culture has changed in the hospital. The earlier management practice was not conducive for efficiency. Now with the engagement of a facility management there is ease of operation, which is very important for medical staff and patients,' said Kaul.
She added that government hospitals could also benefit by handing over facility management to companies in the organised sector.
This may not result in benefits in terms of savings on wages. But 'when you outsource facility management, you can be rid of non-performing or troublesome employee, who can be relocated', stressed Ravi Ogra, senior manager operations of Vipul Facility Management Pvt Ltd.
By IANS
Friday December 8, 04:08 PM
http://in.news.yahoo.com/061208/43/6a4p4.html
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