Anti-RINL disinvestment stir completes one year
image for illustrative purpose
Visakhapatnam The agitation against the privatisation of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel plant will complete one year on Saturday even as the Centre is going ahead with its decision for 100% disinvestment of its shares in the public sector unit.
Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Samiti is organising a fast by 365 workers at Kurmannapalem dharna camp on Saturday to mark the occasion. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had given its clearance for 100% privatisation of RINL, its joint ventures and subsidiaries on January 23 last year. The employees unions supported by the non-BJP parties have also called for a 'Jail Bharo' programme on February 13.
"The struggle will be continued till the Central Government rolls back its decision on strategic sale of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and other assets belonging to RINL," CITU State president and porata samiti chairman Ch. Narsinga Rao said.
Rao said in the 2022-2023 Central Budge, the BJP-led NDA Government declared that it will continue its privatisation policy. It has declared to sell L.I.C, banks, Railways, National Highways and major industries just as it sold off Air India. The aim of the government is to give away the national assets to private companies at a throw away price, Rao alleged pointing out that Air India was sold to Tata company at Rs.18,000 crore even when it had a value of around Rs.2 lakh crore.
VSP has an annual production capacity of 7.3 million tonne. It is the country's first shore-based integrated steel plant. Rao said the company is incurring high production cost as the powers-that-be had failed to allot it captive iron ore mines.
The steel plant was established after 32 people sacrificed their lives as part of 'Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku' agitation. The State Government should put pressure on the Centre to abstain from going ahead with privatisation without obtaining its consent, said former IAS officer E.A.S. Sarma. Over 22,000 acres was acquired by the State Government to facilitate establishment of the steel plant, he pointed out.
