The State government expressed its support to the State bandh called to protest against the Union government’s decision to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), on March 5.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Transport and Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Minister Perni Venkataramaiah said that the State government is against the privatisation of the steel plant. The government has decided not to run the APSRTC buses from dawn to 1 p.m. on Friday. Thereafter, the buses will run so that public life does not come to a standstill.
The agitating associations and trade unions should also cooperate. The RTC employees and workers can attend duties by wearing black badges, he said.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had already written a letter to the Centre suggesting alternatives to retain the organisation in the public sector. “The State government opposes the Central government’s decision to privatise Visakha Steel, which is the right of millions of Telugu people. There has been a great history and sacrifices of Telugu people for establishing the steel plant in the State,” he said.
The Minister said the credit for merging the RTC with the government and turning it into public property went to the YSR Congress Party government, which was done with the sole aim of reviving the organisation and curbing the exploitation of private individuals though it entailed shouldering a burden of ₹3,600 crore. “We demand that the VSP should also remain in the public sector,” he said.
