Visakhapatnam Steel Plant union leaders plan meeting with lawmakers to press for a ‘permanent solution’
The Hindu
VUPPC leaders express concerns over the inadequacy of the Centre's revival package for Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, seek permanent solutions.
Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC) leaders on Sunday said that they would meet MLAs and MPs to convey to them that the revival package announced recently by the Centre to bail out the beleaguered Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) would prove to be inadequate in addressing the critical issues plaguing it, which they said can only be solved through ‘permanent solutions’ such as merging the plant with Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and providing it captive mines.
At a committee meeting in Ukkunagaram on January 19 (Sunday), the VUPPC leaders said celebrations and thanksgivings being held in the city in response to the financial package were premature, as the problems facing the plant were yet to be resolved.
The committee decided to postpone their ‘human chain’ protest which they had originally scheduled to hold on Republic Day against the proposed privatisation of the plant, and said they would knock on the doors of the elected representatives to try and convince them of the need to put pressure on the Centre for a permanent solution to the plant’s problems.
“The financial package was announced as a result of our untiring protest against the proposed strategic sale of the plant for the last four years. But this is not a lasting solution,” said VUPPC leader D. Adinarayana.
“We welcome the Centre’s package, but we cannot be satisfied with it as it is not a permanent solution,” said a committee member V. Srinivasa Rao.
Another leader, Ayodhya Ramu, said that the ₹11,440 crore announced as a financial bailout would hardly be sufficient in addressing long-term issues as the plant already had an overdraft of ₹8,900 crore. He added that the committee’s course of action would be announced by next week, and asked trade union activists not to be satisfied with the revival package.
Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole criticizes BJP government for corruption, internal conflicts, and neglect of pressing issues.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announces SC sub-classification, rejecting creamy layer proposal, in historic move for social justice.
Manush Shah wins National table tennis championship with coach Shailesh Gosain, aiming for top-60 world ranking by 2025.
Government revises revenue target upwards by ₹460 crore for 2024-25 due to VAT hike and revenue mobilisation plans.
Velscope aids in early oral cancer detection at Ongole GGH, emphasizing prevention, awareness, and advanced diagnostic tools.
Supreme Court grants CBI's request to remove Datla Sreenivasa Varma as head of Manipur killings investigation team.
Kolkata film industry faces 70% drop in productions, sparking second cease work in six months, causing industry turmoil.
Over 1.56 crore electors to vote in Delhi Assembly polls with 699 candidates; AAP, BJP, and Congress in fray.
Tragic murder of J. Rajesh Prabhu on a train journey unfolds a complex legal battle and unresolved mystery.
Farmers protest KPTCL transmission line in Shikaripur taluk, demanding alternative route to protect areca plantations.
Guntur Municipal Corporation faces delays in major drinking water projects, causing frustration among residents.
Unsafe Egmore junction with poor pedestrian facilities, chaotic traffic, and lack of safety measures requires urgent redesign and improvements.
Registration of properties, marriage, and other documents at the offices of sub-registrars in Mangaluru and other parts of Karnataka has come to a virtual halt with the malfunctioning of Kaveri-2 software.