Centre to strengthen Vizag Steel Plant rather than privatising it: Kulaste

Visakhapatnam: The central government will focus on strengthening the Vizag Steel Plant (VSP) for the moment rather than privatising it, Union Minister of State for Steel, Faggan Singh Kulaste said on Thursday. He made this announcement on the sidelines of handing over appointment letters under Rozgar Mela.

We don't have any plans for sale in the coming days: Kulaste

"As of date, we don't have any plan like that (sale), and in the coming days we will do better, including sorting out some problems with mining," Kulaste said. Meanwhile, some employee union leaders of the steel plant noted that they cannot believe Kulaste's statements unless an authoritative announcement is made by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) to this effect.

We have been protesting the privatisation plan for the past 800 days: Union leader

"We do not believe this announcement completely. It was CCEA that decided to sell VSP and it should announce that they are not selling it," said a union leader. "We have been protesting the privatisation plan for the past 800 days. This movement is being supported by people from this state and Telangana also," he said.

Despite the state government resolving against the privatisation of the steel plant, he said that the centre has appointed a legal advisor and professional to value Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) or VSP for selling it away. The union leader demanded that these plans should be aborted immediately and only then they could believe Kulaste's announcement.

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