Captive mines, SAIL merger sought for VSP

Andhra Intellectuals Forum president Chalasani Srinivas has called for the allocation of captive mines to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and a merger with Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) to alleviate the burden faced by the plant. The lack of captive mines is currently costing the plant ₹6,400 per tonne of steel produced, according to Srinivas.

He also alleged that contract workers have been removed and their Aadhaar cards blocked, while the Centre's ₹11,400 crore allocation has been used to repay banks, with no funds spent on machinery repairs, plant development, or worker welfare. The plant requires immediate modernisation, with ₹900 crore in unpaid worker dues, according to representatives of the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee.

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