Extended manganese mine lease to boost production capacity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

According to the Ministry of Steel, the Andhra Pradesh Government recently granted Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) an extension on the Garbham Manganese Mine lease, helping secure the production capacity and operationality of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. RINL Chairman and Managing Director Atul Bhatt expressed his gratitude to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for his crucial role in securing the extension.

This lease extension, granted by the state government, marks the continuous supply of manganese ore, which is vital for RINL’s production needs, particularly in operating blast furnaces to produce hot metal. The Garbham Manganese Mine covers 654 acres, and RINL’s annual requirement is approximately 6,000 tons. The extension is essential for maintaining the company’s production capabilities.

Bhatt also extended his sincere appreciation to Palla Srinivasa Rao, MLA of Gajuwaka, Visakhapatnam, and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President in Andhra Pradesh, along with M Sri Bharat, Member of Parliament for Visakhapatnam, for their unwavering support and active participation in facilitating the lease extension.

The RINL CMD recognized their significant contributions in advocating for this decision, which will greatly benefit RINL and its ongoing role in supporting India’s industrial development. The Ministry of Steel highlighted that this achievement underscores the importance of collaboration between the government and industry to drive economic progress.

Despite the extension of the manganese mine lease, however, the situation at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant continues to remain tense, as aid from the Central Government is still awaited.

Members of the Visakhapatnam Steel Employees Association and the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee have expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the plant. V Srinivasa Rao, a member of VUPPC, criticized the NDA alliance (TDP-BJP-JSP) for neglecting the steel plant’s pressing issues, despite promises made during elections. He noted that the Chief Minister’s recent visit to Delhi did not include a meeting with Union Steel Minister Kumaraswamy, as per their information.

The VUPPC announced plans to stage a dharna at the RINL-VSP CMD’s office on August 22. He also mentioned that if necessary, similar protests would be organized at the state and central levels. The VUPPC will outline their future protest strategies if needed.

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