Seeking to clear the air on the strategic sale of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and allaying the apprehension that once sold, the land bank of the plant may be misused by the buyer, BJP national general secretary D. Purandeswari has said the land will continue to be with the Union Government and in the name of the President.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, Ms. Purandeswari said, “Only the plant will be handed over to the private player, but land will remain with the Centre. The employees and people in general need not be misguided. The private player will run the plant, as the government wants to stay away from doing business. It is like a lease agreement.”
Confirming that the Tata Group had evinced interest in running the plant, she said it was up to the Centre to take a call.
Asset monetisation
Supporting the asset monetisation policy, she said the National Monetisation Policy and the National Infrastructure Pipeline had been created to develop five core sectors – railways, airports, ports, roads and power.
“Unless infrastructure is developed, we cannot expect investments,” she added.
Lashing out at the YSRCP government, she said, “The political ambience in the State is vicious and poisonous.”
“It is poisonous because temples are being desecrated and the government is doing nothing to prevent them from happening. It is vicious as the State is using its machinery to quell any form of dissent,” she alleged.
‘State in debt trap’
“The State is in a debt trap. It has been availing of loans in the name of development through various corporations only to fund its welfare schemes,” she said, and added that banks were no longer keen on giving loans.
“The 42% tax devolution from the Centre to the State will now be taken over by the RBI,” Ms. Purandeswari said.
“Despite mobilising loans, there has been no asset creation,” she observed.
Stating that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government was no different from that of Naidu’s tenure, she said while Mr. Naidu had left the State with over ₹1.25 lakh crore debts, Mr. Reddy only enhanced it further.
On the welfare schemes, Ms. Purandeswari said, on the one hand schemes were doled out, and on the other more money was being recovered from the beneficiaries.
“The auto-rickshaw drivers are being given ₹10,000 per year. But the drivers say that the authorities are levying huge fine and taking back more money,” she said.
Corruption
Alleging corruption in liquor trade, she said, “Mr. Jagan may have reduced the number of shops per district, but has increased the prices exorbitantly. Moreover, lack of digital transactions speaks of the level of corruption.”
Alleged large-scale corruption in sand trade, she said, “The middle class and poor people are unable to build houses due to high rate of sand.”
“While no new industries have come up in State, the existing ones are moving away due to corruption, vindictiveness and harassment,” she alleged.
Referring to the Jagananna Housing scheme, she said, “What is being given to the people is only the Centre’s share of ₹1.8 lakh per house, and the State’s contribution is nil.”
