Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu assured leaders of Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (UPPC) that he will take up Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) privatisation issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Steel Minister H.D. Kumara Swamy.
The assurance when the UPPC leaders met the CM at TDP’s Mangalagiri office on Saturday morning.
One of the committee leaders Varasala Srinivasa Rao present at the meeting told this correspondent on Saturday that the UPPC expressed alarm over central government's proposal to potentially close or completely privatise the steel plant.
The union leaders made it clear to the Chief Minister that the VSP is facing severe financial losses amounting to approximately ₹5,000 crore due to insufficient working capital and reduced production.
Srinivasa Rao said the union leaders suggested to Chandrababu Naidu that a lasting solution could be found with the possible merger of the steel plant with the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), which are under a single ministry.
The leaders also told the CM to engage with the Union Ministry of Steel to secure essential resources and spare parts from NMDC for immediate revival of the plant.
The Chief Minister reportedly assured the leaders that if workers demonstrated commitment and the plant operated profitably, he would advocate for its preservation. Naidu pledged to review management performance and address any shortcomings. The CM promised to communicate these issues to the central government, particularly the Prime Minister.
Among those present at the meeting included key leaders of the porata committee D. Adinarayana and Mantri Rajasekhar.
