Facing crisis for the past couple of years, the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is likely to cross all hurdles to be back on the right track, if the post-poll scenario is any indication. The landslide victory of the TDP-led alliance in Andhra Pradesh gives a ray of hope for the troubled plant. As the BJP is a part of the alliance, the NDA government at the Centre may not go ahead with the privatisation move. In a welcome development, a team from the State BJP had a meeting with the Union Minister of Steel H D Kumaraswamy in New Delhi and urged him to initiate measures to make the VSP earn profits.
Led by Daggubati Purandeswari, State BJP chief and MP of Rajamahendravaram, the delegation explained to the Minister about the significance of the VSP pointing out the emotional attachment of the people of Visakhapatnam to it. Armed with an action plan, the team had a long discussion with the Minister and submitted a memorandum to him. The BJP leaders appealed to Kumaraswamy to design policies in such a way that they help steer the plant on the path of profits. The Centre should also ensure smooth maintenance of the VSP.
According to Purandeswari, the Union Minister responded positively and promised that he would have a detailed talk with the officials concerned and would meet the team again in two to three months.
Others in the team meeting the Union Steel Minister on behalf of VSP include Minister Bhupatiraju Srinivas Varma, Anakapalle MP C M Ramesh and Sagi Kasi Viswanatha Raju.
In a related development, Palla Srinivasa Rao, TDP MLA of Gajuwaka, visited the relay hunger-strike camp near the steel plant recently and assured the participants, who have been agitating against the privatisation move, of making all efforts to restore the past glory of the steel plant.
Read also- Centre urged to consider VSP-SAIL merger, halt asset sales amid financial crisis
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This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu
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