Jagan Promises To Save VSP From Privatisation

The Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Committee members met Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Visakhapatnam airport and submitted a memorandum with 4-point formula.

The formula includes passing a resolution against privatisation of Vizag Steel Plant (VSP) in the Assembly, aligning the plant with NMDC so as to resolve the captive mines problem for the plant, leading a team of MPs and meeting PM Modi to convince him against the privatisation move.

For more than an hour, the CM and VSP workers interacted with each other and the latter said that Jagan promised to pass the resolution in the Assembly.

The representatives of the Committee submitted a 3-page memorandum to the CM reminding that VSP was established in Vizag with the sacrifices of 32 people in united Andhra Pradesh. The Sangham members alleged that the Centre was acting with vengeance against Andhra Pradesh.

The plant workers hailed Jagan for writing a letter to the Centre against privatisation of VSP. They told the CM that lack of captive mines was leading to losses to VSP and that the Centre invested just Rs 4,950 crore in the steel plant. The Vizag Ukku Parirakshana Committee reminded that the plant paid Rs 44,000 crore through profits and taxes.

The Committee members urged the CM to see that 66 million MT iron ore in Prakasam district be allocated to VSP. They said that the CM responded in the positive with regard to their memorandum.

When asked about the motive behind meeting a team of representatives from South Korean iron manufacturing company POSCO, the CM said that he did not discuss about privatisation of VSP with them but on investing either at Krishnapatnam or Bhavanapadu port.

The workers unions of VSP expressed satisfaction over meeting the CM as he had promised to all he could to stall the privatisation of VSP and also look into allocation of iron ore mines in Odisha and other places for the VSP. He reportedly promised to pass the resolution on the issue during the Budget session to be held after the local body polls.

The workers said that the CM promised not to allow POSCO set up their factory in Vizag.