more-in A record number of over 3,000 employees of the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), marched from the arch at Kurmannapalem to Old Jail Road near Women’s College, covering a distance of 26 km, demanding that the Centre drop the proposal to disinvest its stake in the Navratna company. Captive mines Under the aegis of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the recognised union of RINL and its alliance partners, marched to the venue waving placards and banners, and raising slogans against the Centre’s decision to offload 10% of the government’s equity in the company. CITU State president Ch. Narsinga Rao and State general secretary M.A. Gafoor addressed the protesters at NAD Kotha Road and near the women’s college, and squarely blamed the NDA and the previous UPA governments for failing to allot captive mines, and, thereby, causing net losses to the steel plant for the past three years. “RINL is the only major steel-maker, which is deprived of captive iron ore mines. Compared to other steel-makers, RINL is coughing up almost 50% of its production cost in procuring iron ore from the NMDC,” Mr. Narsinga Rao said. He demanded that the State government adopt a resolution in the Assembly urging the Centre to drop the disinvestment move, and allot captive mines immediately. He asked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to explain as to how many times he had taken up the issue of allotting captive mines with the Centre during his 29 trips to New Delhi. Mr. Gafoor, a former MLA, said it was unfortunate that the powers-that-be had been neglecting the genuine demand of RINL in getting captive mines. He said there were serious attempts to start disinvestment of RINL with 10% and subsequently hand over majority stake to the private players such as the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI). RINL recognised union president J. Ayodharam presided.

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