The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Rastogi hints at navaratna status to Vizag steel plant

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Friday, Sep 26, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Rastogi hints at navaratna status to Vizag steel plant

Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM: Union Steel Secretary P.K. Rastogi on Thursday said efforts were on to grant navaratna status to Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) – the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

He complimented the officers and the employees for their contribution in turning around RINL, which was once under the brink of falling in the Board of Industrial Finance and Reconstruction net.

He expressed optimism that the Cabinet committee set up for the purpose would recommend the government for awarding navaratna status to VSP.

Mr. Rastogi, who was on his first visit to the plant, inaugurated the expansion flyover, visited production units and held interactions with senior executives, union leaders and members of Women in Public Sector.

RINL Chairman and Managing Director P.K. Bishnoi earlier explained the production facilities and technologies being adopted in the expansion project. Directors P.K. Mishra (operations), Y. Manohar (personnel), K.S. Shankar (finance) and Chief Vigilance Officer K. Vidyasagar were present.

Unions’ plea

All the trade unions in separate memoranda sought his help for helping VSP get raw material security. Visakha Steel Workers’ Union president D. Adinarayana and general secretary N. Rama Rao sought distribution of 5 per cent of net profits for 2006-07 to employees, merger of 50 per DA with basic pay, wage revision from January 2007 and jobs to displaced persons.

Visakha Steel Employees Congress general secretary Mantri Rajasekhar sought captive mines and an increase in wages for all employees.

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