Parties, trade unions oppose Visakhapatnam privatisation

Visakhapatnam: All parties including YSRCP, Congress CPI, CPM, Jana Sena, Lok Satta, CPI (ML) New Democracy, AAP and trade unions strongly objected to the privatisation of ‘Conveyor Maintenance Contract System’ in sinter plant and RMHP of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

The parties and trade union leaders on Wednesday conducted a round-table meeting and planned to launch a public agitation from October 4 demanding the Central government to roll back its decision.

The speakers opined that the Conveyor Maintenance Contract System is leading to privatisation of steel plant. The parties and trade unions have decided to stage an agitation from October 4 in front of Gandhi statue, near GVMC administrative building.

They alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre planning to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and started the contract system in the name of CMC. At present, the steel plant management is paying Rs 2.5 crore to the contractor for maintenance.

However, with the implementation of CMC in the plant, the management must pay Rs 15.41 crore to Gujarat-based company Prabha Continuous Utility Services. Though the company was not having any experience in handling the work, they alleged under the influenced of Reliance group, the BJP government had introduced the CMC in VSP.

According to government circular on May 1,2018, the SAIL, RINL and NMDC should develop HR management plan and strive to reduce manpower and increase labour productivity to bring it to a level comparable with private sector steel companies in a time bound manner to reduce the overall manpower cost, the speakers, pointed out.    

Though the plant capacity was increased to 6.3 mt, the government was not recruiting workers against the enhanced capacity, they alleged. At least the Steel Plant failed to conduct the examination to recruit youth in various posts, the leaders lamented.

Mantri Raja Sekhar from Congress, Malla Vijaya Prasad from YSRCP, Ch Narasinga Rao from CPM, J V Satyanarayana Murthy from CPI and other leaders from various unions including Dr Ashok Kumar, Y Kondaiah, Ganesh Panda, MNS Murthy, Nagoor Vali and J Bangari spoke in the round-table meeting.