Kollu Ravindra refutes Opposition criticism on VSP package, hails Naidu’s contribution to secure funds

Minister Ravindra credits CM Naidu for securing funds to save Visakhapatnam Steel Plant from privatization, refuting opposition criticism.

Refuting the Opposition criticism that the special package announced by the Centre for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant(VSP) is no solution to save the plant from the threat of privatisation, Minister for Excise and Mines Kollu Ravindra gave full credit to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for securing it.

Addressing a media conference along with TDP State president Palla Srinivasa Rao at the TDP office here on Tuesday (January 21), Mr. Ravindra hailed Mr. Naidu for taking up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and convincing them to release funds for the revival of the steel plant. He recalled that even during his earlier stint as Chief Minister, Mr. Naidu had approached the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and convinced him to grant funds for saving VSP from being referred to the Board for Industrial Finance and Restructuring (BIFR), thereby saving it from the threat of closure.

Mr. Ravindra alleged that former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had failed to protect VSP during the last five years. On the contrary, Mr. Palla Srinivasa Rao had launched a fast-unto-death for protection of VSP. He said that the present government was instrumental in getting the foundation stone for construction of the South Coast Railway (S Co R) Zone headquarters in Visakhapatnam, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that 99% of the Bhogapuram International Airport works have been completed and 37% of the runway works were completed.

He said that Mr. Naidu had held talks with representatives of Arcelor Mittal at the WEF-2025 in Davos, for construction of a steel plant in Anakapalli district. Mr. Ravindra said that TCS and Google were keen on coming to Vizag. Work on the Polavaram project was progressing briskly.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that the Chief Minister had kept his election promise by securing funds to the tune of ₹11,400 crore from the Centre. He also thanked Union Steel Minister HD Kumara Swamy, BJP State president D. Purandeswari, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, and Minister Nara Lokesh for their contribution in this regard. The struggles by the steel workers for the past four-and-a-half years could not be forgotten. He alleged that a false narrative was created that the steel plant was going to be privatised. He felt that running the VSP to full capacity and allotment of captive mines would end the woes of the plant.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that the party membership has crossed 1 crore, and the use of technology has helped in early completion of the membership enrolment. TDP district president Gandi Babji was present.