The government has changed its mind about privatizing Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), the company that runs Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. On Thursday, Union Minister of State for Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste said the government would not go ahead with the privatisation. But on Friday, the Ministry of Steel said that the process was still underway. The government is supporting RINL to improve its performance and keep it running.
VSP employees have been protesting for over two years against the government’s plan to sell the plant. They believe that Andhra Pradesh residents have made too many sacrifices for the plant to be sold. On Friday, employees blocked the national highway near Kurmannapalem crossroads and burned effigies. Police tried to detain them, but they resisted. The employees have threatened to intensify their protest.
