All-party delegation to meet PM on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant soon: Vijayasai Reddy

Visakhapatnam: Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy alleged that about Rs 5,500 crore RINL funds were diverted to Odisha and the move did not benefit the plant till date.

Speaking to media here on Thursday, the MP V Vijayasai Reddy said there were many reasons for the steel plant to become loss-making company.

Vijayasai Reddy pointed out that Rs 2,000 crore had been diverted from Visakhapatnam Steel Plant for the construction of a forged wheel plant in Rae Bareli. Similarly, the MP said, ten years ago, RINL paid Odisha Mining Development Corporation to the tune of Rs 361 crore for mining permits. Another Rs 1,000 crore was paid in the form of penalty which sums up to a total of Rs 1,361 crore (Rs 1,000 crore plus Rs 361 crore), the MP informed.

The MP mentioned that till date, the mines were not approved and there was no interest to do so too. In addition, Vijayasai Reddy recalled that an MD cadre officer P K Chand was involved in a scam of Rs 2,000 crore in the past and no action was taken against him so far. Neither RINL nor the CBI or the Central government is able to recover the amount, he pointed out. The MP said it was not right to blame the management for the losses now. The Union government wasted thousands of crores and pushed the RINL into losses, the MP alleged.

Vijayasai Reddy announced that all political party leaders have taken a decision to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Soon, the MPs from all parties will take the appointment of the PM and submit a representation to him, explaining the issue.

The MP said YSRCP leaders will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday and submit a memorandum on plant issues.

Tourism Minister M Srinivasa Rao, Visakhapatnam MP M V V Satyanarayana, among others were present.