YSRCP MPs urge Centre to withdraw move to privatise VSP

Tirupati: In a bid to safeguard the interests of AP’s iconic Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), members of the YSRCP met Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy on Monday.

The delegation included MPs Y V Subba Reddy, V Vijayasai Reddy, P V Mithun Reddy, Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy, Maddila Gurumoorthy, Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Golla Babu Rao and Gummadi Tanuja Rani among others.

The YSRCP MPs emphasised the historical significance of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, which was established after prolonged public protests under the banner ‘Visakha Ukku–Andhrula Hakku’. They highlighted the sacrifices of 32 people during the agitation, culminating in the 1970 announcement by the then-Prime Minister for setting up the steel plant.

They described the VSP as the largest public sector industrial unit in the State, instrumental in fulfilling the needs of infrastructure, manufacturing and the automobile sector.

The MPs also noted that the plant, India’s first coastal-based integrated steel plant, performed profitably from 2002 to 2015 despite earlier challenges.

The team informed the Union Minister about the plant’s strategic value, including its vast 19,700-acre land holdings, which have appreciated significantly due to urban expansion. They estimated the land’s current market value to exceed Rs 1 lakh crore, underscoring its critical role in the region’s development.

Appealing against privatisation, the MPs described the plant as a ‘living testimony’ to Telugu pride and perseverance.

They urged the Central government to explore alternative measures to revive the plant instead of divesting its assets.

The YSRCP stressed the need to safeguard the public-sector unit’s legacy while ensuring its sustainable growth and contribution to the nation’s steel industry.