Visakhapatnam: A rally was taken out on Sunday against the privatization of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. The protest rally, led by YSRCP Gajuwaka MLA T. Nagireddy, took out from Kakatiya Junction, BC Road to Old Gajuwaka. It was attended by Tourism Minister M Srinivasa Rao, GVMC Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari, YSRCP leaders and supporters as well as INTUC and The representatives of Vishakha Ukku Pariksha Porata Committee participated. He reiterated that their collective fight will continue till the Center withdraws its decision on 100 per cent strategic sale of the plant.
On 27 January 2021, the Government of India's Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs decided to go ahead with 100 percent privatization of the government's stake in RINL as well as stake in RINL's subsidiaries and joint ventures. The government says that it will protect the interests of workers throughout the share purchase agreement and trade transfer agreement.
All trade unions and unions of VSP workers and officers of non-manual employees and political parties of Andhra Pradesh state started a mass movement against this privatization of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. The Andhra Pradesh state assembly also passed a resolution demanding not to pursue privatization. About 35,000 employees and their families will be affected by the privatization. About one lakh people who depend on this plant directly and indirectly for their livelihood will be affected by privatization. Trade unions argue that the VSP was founded after a great sacrifice by the people of 60 villages, who had vacated their 22,000 acres. In a letter to the Prime Minister of India, Walter Sanches, general secretary of the IndustrialAll Global Union, called on the government to stop privatization immediately.
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