As the Narendra Modi-led government is moving ahead with its move to privatize Visakhapatnam Steel Plan, ignoring sentiments of people of Andhra Pradesh, now it became a major challenge to both Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who have been assuring to protect state interests.
Already the Steel Plan privatization has turned into a political issue in two Telugu states. The recent Union Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy visit to the Steel Plant, who promised to convey sentiments of local people to Prime Minister Modi, also now believed to be to prepare a ground for privatization.
This is a steel plant that has been under the ownership of the Union Ministry of Steel for more than five decades and the first integrated steel plant in the country. It has the capacity to produce 7.3 million tonnes of steel every year. For this steel plant a massive people’s agitation was held with a slogan of `Visakha Steel’ Andhra’s Right’.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has already given the green signal to sell it and indicated that 100% investment can be withdrawn. To this extent reports have been submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Steel.
After the report of the Cabinet Committee, the Central Government took more important decisions. If there are any subsidiaries or joint ventures in the Visakhapatnam Steel Factory, they will also be taken back. In 2023, the central government also invited expression of interest bids. But, the then Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy successfully blocked the privatization process.
Against this backdrop, the leaders of the Visakha Steel Factory Protection Committee once again hit the road. They are urging that Chandrababu-Pawan Kalyan-led coalition government in the state should block the privatization of the steel plant. Placards and banners were displayed.
The agitators recalled the assurances given by Chief Minister Chandrababu Babu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan that they will not let Visakha Steel Plant go into private hands under any circumstances. Now they are insisting on answering the latest privatization measures.
