‘State government is considering all measures to save VSP from losses’: Mines Minister

Visakhapatnam: Minister for Mines, Geology and Excise Kollu Ravindra pointed out that the YSRCP government was negligent towards Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).

After paying a visit to the plant in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, the minister said that the plant could not be run in its full capacity due to minor reasons which were neglected during the previous government.

The YSRCP government did not renew even some of the mines which were supposed to be renewed by it, he pointed out. “Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is considering concrete steps to protect VSP as assured earlier. As part of his efforts, the Chief Minister is explaining the situation of the plant to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy,” the Mines Minister said.

Terming that the VSP is the pride of Andhra Pradesh, Kollu Ravindra mentioned that it came into existence following several sacrifices and underlined the need to protect it.

The state government is extending support to the VSP by facilitating sand and some of the raw material from Vizianagaram district, the minister said. “If the state government utilises the steel manufactured by the VSP for its projects and housing schemes, it would be more supportive to the plant,” the minister opined.

Meanwhile, trade union leaders approached the minister and appealed to him to extend support to clear pending power bills of the plant and other raw material payments by negotiating with the Union government.