BJP defends disinvestment of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) will not be privatised, only the investment will be withdrawn, said BJP MLC PVN Madhav.

Briefing the media here on Thursday, he said the Union government was withdrawing investments from 25 industries across the country. The government aims at protecting VSP's employees and the disinvestment plan intends to ensure the workers do not face any trouble.

Similarly, the MLC said, there was a need to protect the rights of displaced families of the steel plant.

MLC Madhav mentioned that as local representatives, the BJP leaders had already suggested alternatives to the high command about the VSP. "Steel plant will not go anywhere from Visakhapatnam. Jobs will not be lost in the organisation.

The centre has kept all these aspects in view before going ahead with its disinvestment proposal," Madhav informed.

The MLC alleged that the YSRCP was 'misleading' the VSP employees on disinvestment. "Even earlier, other parties encouraged privatisation of VSP during their regime and the YSRCP is no exception," he added.

About the BJP state president's performance, Madhav said a year was completed in his leadership and many public issues were fought openly throughout the year under his guidance.

MLC Madhav opined the BJP-Jana Sena alliance will be an alternative force in the state in future. BJP state vice-president P Vishnu Kumar Raju pointed out that the YSRCP government was making 'meaningless statements'. He pointed out that the state government has no interest in protecting the VSP.

Further, speaking about TIDCO houses, Vishnu Kumar Raju said Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Botcha Satyanarayana mentioned that the TIDCO houses will be inaugurated in a month.

"However, the contractors are yet to be paid for the work carried out for the same," he added and demanded the authorities concerned to clear the pending bills of the contractors on a war-footing.