CM Naidu vows to strengthen VSP to optimise production

Amaravati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday affirmed that the State Government is committed to the strengthening and protection of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited).

He noted that over the past year, with the support of the Central Government and the cooperation of the State Government, significant progress has been made in production, a welcome development. Exuding confidence over achieving a turnaround after the Centre's Rs11,440-crore revival plan, he emphasised that the management, workers, employees, and both the Central and State Governments must continue working together to pull the plant out of losses and further strengthen it.

The Chief Minister stated that the progress being seen is the result of measures taken, collective decision-making, and coordination over the past year. During a review meeting at the Secretariat with State Government officials and senior officers of the steel plant, he assessed the steps taken in the past year and the outcomes achieved. As a result of the coalition government's efforts, the Centre sanctioned financial assistance. A major portion of these funds has already been released and is currently being used to bring the plant back on track.

Officials told Naidu that over the past year, with Central assistance and continued cooperation from various State Government departments, production capacity has increased significantly.

In September last year, only 25 per cent of the plant's capacity was being utilized, whereas by this September, it had reached 79 per cent. The Chief Minister described this as a highly positive development and instructed the Steel Plant authorities to push further.