Visakhapatnam: Kashi Viswanath Raju, an independent director at SAIL, addressed the potential merger of the Vizag Steel Plant (Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - RINL) with Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). He emphasised that this merger could provide a long-term solution and mentioned that he brought the matter to the attention of the Union steel minister.
Raju also discussed his participation in a review session with MPs and MLAs at the invitation of minister Nara Lokesh, during which he highlighted the potential benefits of merging RINL with SAIL. These benefits include a significant reduction in steel costs by at least ₹10,000 per ton and an estimated annual saving of ₹1,200 crore on coal procurement. During a press conference on Monday at the Visakha district BJP office, Raju commended the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee for their non-disruptive approach to RINL production.
He expressed optimism that minor adjustments in SAIL policies could facilitate the merger. Additionally, he announced an upcoming meeting in New Delhi to address the issue of the privatization of the Vizag Steel Plant.
In light of recent political developments, Raju indicated a potential shift of a few YSRC MPs towards the BJP. He stated that the Vizag Steel Plant has faced historical injustice during Jagan's tenure and criticised the current government's lack of proactive measures to address the plant's challenges.
