The State government will not give any opportunity to close down Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Ltd. (VISL), a subsidiary of Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), at Bhadravati in Shivamogga district, and the Centre will be urged to retract from its decision on the closure of the plant, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommi on Thursday informed the Legislative Assembly.
In reply to B.K. Sangameshwara (Congress) and the former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa (BJP) during the zero hour, Mr. Bommai said he had written to Union Steel Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to call one more expression of interest to seek investment from iron companies for reviving the plant. When the Centre had called first bidding for revival of the plant, no investor had shown interest. Later, the Board of Industrial and Financial Restructuring decided to close the company.
The plant began incurring financial loss following the closure of mining in Kudremukh by the KIOCL and later the plant was taken over by SAIL. Steps would be taken for revival of the plant and ensure jobs to existing employees, the Chief Minister said.
Earlier, Mr. Yediyurappa told the State government to write to the Centre seeking its intervention for revival of the plant, which is Karnataka’s pride. Mr. Sangameshwara urged the government to pass a resolution in the House appealing to the Centre to take steps for revival of the plant.
