The Centre is dodging the demand for provision of captive mines to the public sector Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) in a bid to privatise the plant, alleged CITU State president Ch. Narasinga Rao.
Taking strong exception to the statement of BJP leader and Visakhapatnam MP K. Haribabu that it was not possible to allocate captive mines to the VSP, he said the BJP was trying to pass the buck, saying it was for the State to allocate mines.
Addressing the media on the eve of the 10th Mahasabha of Steel Plant Employees Union here on Sunday, Mr. Narasinga Rao, who is also honorary president of the union, recalled its genesis and contribution in the growth of the steel plant. The Steel Plant Employees Union (CITU), formed in 1982, was elected as the recognised union for six terms. It had waged several struggles during the last 36 years to safeguard the interests of workers and the plant.
He said that the struggles by the union had resulted in the government agreeing to provide a job to one eligible person from each of the families, which were displaced by the steel plant land acquisition.
The Centre has proposed to introduce ‘new work culture’ in PSUs like that of private companies, to reduce the number of permanent workers. The CITU was the first trade union in the country to get the services, of over 5,000 displaced persons, who were serving as casual workers in VSP in 1991, regularised.
The Centre had tried to privatise the VSP in 2002 on the pretext that the plant had incurred losses of over ₹4,000 crore. The CITU had opposed it tooth and nail by waging relentless battles and prevented the plant from being referred to the BIFR.
Resolutions
CITU All-India general secretary Tapan Sen, Steel Federation secretary P.K. Das, CITU State president Ch. Narasinga Rao and general secretary M.A. Gafoor would attend the two-day Mahasabha to be held at Ukkunagaram on Monday and Tuesday. The Mahasabha would discuss and adopt resolutions on issues such as the new wage agreement, better pension scheme, captive mines and against privatisation proposals. The Union would also organise a blood donation camp.
