CITU leader dares Palla to prove ‘VSP ghost workers' allegations
A notification was issued on August 16 calling for bids for Expression of Interest (EOI) for the operation and maintenance of 34 wings of the VSP. Prospective bidders were asked to apply by September 9.
On Tuesday, Mr. Srinivasa Rao reiterated that the NDA government was committed to protecting the VSP. However, he said that some harsh decisions were inevitable for the continuation of the VSP as a PSU, including privatisation of some sections of the plant to improve productivity and reduce costs.
Referring to it, Mr. Narasinga Rao condemned the TDP State president for 'justifying the firing of workers on the plea of improving efficiency'.
'The VSP has some of the best workers in the country and the quality of Vizag steel continues to be impeccable. Concealing these facts, ground has been prepared for handing over the VSP to Arcelor Mittal,' he alleged.
He alleged that the Centre had unilaterally terminated the services of 5,000 contract workers, 'with the support of the TDP and JSP'. Highly qualified officers and workers were shown the door, in two phases, under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), he said.
He dared Mr. Srinivasa Rao to prove his allegations related to 'ghost workers' and the involvement of trade union leaders in corrupt practices.
Disputing the claims made by the TDP State president, Mr. Narasinga Rao said that the three Blast Furnaces were working during the YSRCP's tenure.
'The Centre had deliberately shut down two blast furnaces in 2021 and pushed the plant into losses of ₹7 crore as part of its plan for the strategic sale. While VSP, which has an annual production capacity of 50 lakh tonnes, was given a loan of ₹11,440 crore, while the Bhadravathi Steel Plant in Karnataka, with a production capacity of 50,000 tonnes, was given a grant of ₹18,000 crore,' he said.
The Centre had bowed to pressure from the party which had just two MPs and gave ₹18,000 crore. He wondered as to what the 23 MPs from A.P. had done for the VSP.
CITU district general secretary RKSV Kumar, Public Sector Coordination Committee convener S. Jyothiswara Rao and Steel Plant Employees Union general secretary U. Ramaswamy were present.
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