PM should make a firm statement on VSP during his visit to Vizag, says CPI-M State secretary

CPI-M leader demands PM Modi's commitment to keep Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in public sector during visit.

CPI-M State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should make a firm statement on continuation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) in the public sector, during his visit to Visakhapatnam on January 8.

Referring to the statement of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that the Prime Minister would be visiting Visakhapatnam city on January 8, the CPI-M State president recalled at a media conference, here, on Sunday (December 29), that Mr. Modi during his previous visits to the city had dodged the issue without giving any firm commitment on the issue. He alleged that during his visits was making clandestine efforts to pave the way for privatisation of the VSP. On the other hand, leaders of the BJP and its allies were issuing statements once in a while saying that privatisation of VSP would not happen.

The CPI-M leader said that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu during his recent meeting with the Prime Minister in Delhi, had only sought various facilities for establishment of the Arcelor Mittal steel plant at Nakkapalli but failed to raise the issue of VSP. He had failed to discuss the issue during his subsequent meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He alleged that the discussions between Mr. Modi and Mr. Naidu were on reducing the Centre’s stake in VSP and to handover its assets to the private steel plant coming up nearby. He described it as nothing but ‘cheating North Andhra and Andhra Pradesh’.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao also sought conversion of the Guest House constructed by the previous YSRCP government at Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam into a science museum, which would also contribute to promotion of tourism in the region. He also sought an early solution to the ‘pancha gramalu’ issue (Simhachalam lands) to enable rightful owners to undertake repair of their houses and also to raise loans to meet their needs.

He also sought a solution to the occupation of water bodies by private and corporate companies. Replying to a query, he said that the destruction of environment was responsible for the frequent floods in some places.