Mittal move worries steel workers even as govt. infuses Rs. 1,650 crore in RINL

Even as the government has infused a sum of Rs 1,650 crore in the cash-strapped RINL, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant workers who have been agitating against the Centre’s privatisation move for over three years, are worried a lot over the proposal of ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel to jointly set up a new steel plant in the neighbouring newly carved out Anakapalle district.

According to a note issued by the steel ministry, several measures have been initiated to ensure the plant remains operational.

However, fearing that the ArcelorMittal proposal, if materialised, will have an adverse impact on the steel plant in Visakhapatnam which is in trouble, the agitating workers have alleged that the move is a part of the central government’s strategy to go ahead with its privatisation move.

The trade unions, which have been actively participating in the agitation for the protection of the steel plant, have threatened to agitate on the issue.

Meanwhile, the TDP, in a tweet, has announced that steel giants ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel have come forward to set up a steel plant in Anakapalle district with an investment of Rs 1.40 lakh crore.

The plant will be set up in a joint venture with a production target of 17.8 million tonnes, according to the TDP.

Giving more details about the plant on ‘X’, Anakapalle MP C M Ramesh has said the plant will be established in two phases creating over 20,000 jobs.

Once construction work begins, there is a possibility of a satellite port coming near the area, he opines. It has been proposed to set up the plant on 4,600 acres near Nakkapalli in the Anakapalle district.

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This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu