Palla Says Safeguarding RINL Steel Plant a Shared Duty

Visakhapatnam: TD state president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao on Wednesday described the accident at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, an entity of RINL (Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited), as deeply unfortunate. He extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the workers who lost their lives. Palla highlighted that the steel plant is not merely an industrial unit but a symbol of the sacrifices and aspirations of Telugu people. Built with a public investment exceeding ₹40,000 crore, it represents the collective resolve and self-respect of Andhra Pradesh.

According to the TD state president, the coalition government inheriting a plant weighed down by financial distress. But through sustained intervention by both the state and central governments, it has begun its recovery. From only one blast furnace being operational earlier, all three of the furnaces are now functioning, with production rising from 30 per cent to nearly 95 per cent. Palla pointed out that the NDA government at the centre has extended a revival package of ₹11,440 crore, along with an earlier assistance of ₹3,500 crore, while the state government provided nearly ₹2,600 crore in relief. The TD state president launched a sharp attack on former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, alleging that no financial assistance had been secured during the latter’s tenure. Workers had been forced to agitate for nearly four years. With regard to the devastating blast at the VSP on June 8, Palla described the attempts to politicise the accident as insensitive, when the need is to stand by the affected families.

He pointed out that relief measures have already been announced, including ₹25 lakh from the centre for each deceased worker’s family and additional compensation packages from the state government. Looking ahead, Palla said AP government’s focus is on expansion, with plans to increase the RINL capacity from 7.3 million tonnes to 10 million tonnes, alongside a comprehensive safety audit. He reaffirmed the NDA coalition’s commitment to strengthening the plant, protecting workers’ interests, and securing its long-term future.