Visakhapatnam Steel Plant privatisation paused as of now: Narasimha Rao

BJP's G.V.L. Narasimha Rao says privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) paused; BJP's goal to ensure VSP runs in profits; BJP working to restore VSP's past glory; Congress neglected VSP when in power; BJP trying to resolve technical issues, promotions, vacant posts.

Rajya Sabha MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao has said that the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) is paused as of now and that its sale will not happen in the near future. He said that the BJP’s only goal is to put efforts to ensure VSP runs in profits and overcome all its issues.

Addressing a press conference at BJP office on Tuesday, Mr. Narasimha Rao said that it was the BJP which was working constantly to bring back VSP’s past glory. “Right from meeting officials concerned, and discussing about the issues with the VSP officers, I have also sought answers about the VSP issue in Parliament. It is the BJP that spoke about iron ore with the Ministers concerned and NMDC authorities,” he said.

He said that the union leaders must also notice that it was the Congress which was in power for about 10 years in Visakhapatnam had neglected the VSP. “Was the VSP set up during the year 2014. Why did the Congress fail to allot iron ore mines to the VSP. The previous Union government and the managements showed utter negligence in managing the VSP,” he alleged.

The MP said that efforts were on to ensure the functioning of the third blast furnace. He said that apart from the technical issues, senior executives promotions, young executives time-bound promotion which were on hold were also under discussion. Moreover, important posts like Director (Finance), Director (Operations) were also vacant. In order to resolve these issues, the BJP would conduct meetings, he said.

He said that some politicians were spreading false propaganda against the BJP, which was trying to put VSP on track.