Crisis-ridden VSP gets focus

The crisis-ridden Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) gets focus at last in the wake of the changed political scenario both at the Centre and in the State. When the Centre had an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha, it had proposed the privatisation of the steel plant three and a half years ago, which had triggered the launch of an agitation against the move. However, after the recent general elections, the scenario has changed and the survival of the BJP-led NDA government hinges on the support of the TDP and it may not dare to go ahead with the privatization of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant against the interests of the people of Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, pressure starts mounting on the Central government to come to the rescue of the steel plant as it is in dire straits.

Recently, a team from State BJP, led by party president D Purandeswari met Union Minister of Steel H D Kumaraswamy and urged him to initiate measures to bail out the VSP. The Minister, who responded positively, had promised the team to have a discussion with the officials concerned.

Keeping his word, H D Kumaraswamy arrived in Visakhapatnam on 10 July to take stock of the situation by holding talks with the plant officials.

Ahead of the Union Minister’s visit to the plant, Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao met Atul Bhatt, CMD of RINL, and had talks with him for over two hours.

Later, speaking to the media, Srinivasa Rao said the CMD decided to seek an aid of Rs 3,000 crore from the Central government to keep the plant functioning. “The CMD told us that an amount of over Rs 1,000 crore can be collected through sale of surplus lands,” said Srinivasa Rao.

The TDP has been striving to protect the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant against privatization, and now the party would make all efforts to get funds for it from Centre, said Sribharat. With all these developments, workers of the plant see a light at the end of the tunnel and eagerly await the outcome of talks between the Union Minister and the plant officials.

This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu.

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