Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan has requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reconsider the decision to privatise Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) considering the people's sentiments, and give it an impetus by allotting captive mines and easing its debt burden.
In a memorandum, which he personally submitted to Mr. Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday, Mr. Kalyan stated that the VSP was a symbol of struggles and determination of the Telugus and said 32 persons sacrificed their lives for it in the 1960s.
He cited lack of raw material as the reason for its underperformance. As a result, VSP was forced to buy iron ore at ₹7,000 per ton compared to just about ₹1,500 which is the rate at which other steel plants were able to procure it.
Because of this, the net losses mounted to approximately ₹3,000 crore. The VSP had 18,000 permanent employees and 20,000 contract workers and more than a lakh people were earning their livelihood in ancillary industries, Mr. Kalyan stated.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
