Call for Action on Salaries, Vacant Posts, Working Capital, and Tax Holiday

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Visakhapatnam district, comprising trade unions and people’s organizations, has strongly urged the Union government to revoke its decision on the strategic sale of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).

The JAC leaders convened a meeting at the CITU office on Friday to discuss the ‘deceitful measures’ being implemented by the BJP-led NDA government towards VSP.

The meeting applauded the electorate for not granting an absolute majority to the BJP in the recent general elections, which they believe prevented the BJP-led NDA government from imposing its ‘anti-people’ and ‘anti-worker’ policies, including the privatisation of VSP and other public sector undertakings (PSUs).

The JAC leaders demanded that the NDA government withdraw its privatisation policies and expressed hope that the TDP, whose support is crucial for the NDA government, would favor the continuation of VSP in the public sector.

Key demands from the JAC include:

>> Revocation of Strategic Sale: The Centre should officially announce the cancellation of the strategic sale of VSP and allot captive mines to the plant.

>> Employee Salaries and Benefits: Payment of salaries to both permanent and contract employees, filling of vacant posts, and provision of working capital to the steel plant.

>> Tax Holiday: Declaration of a tax holiday for VSP.

>> Renewal of Mining Lease: The State government should renew the mining lease granted to VSP in Andhra Pradesh.

The JAC commended those who participated in various forms of protest, including relay hunger strikes at the Gandhi statue near GVMC, over the past three years to protect VSP.

The meeting resolved to intensify the agitation to pressure the Centre into revoking its decision on the VSP sale. Additionally, it was decided to meet with higher officials in the district and representatives to submit petitions against the privatisation of VSP.

Prominent speakers at the meeting included JAC chairman M. Jaggu Naidu, vice chairmen B. Nagabushanam and M. Manmadha Rao, CFTUI national president N. Kanaka Rao, CITU district general secretary R.K.S.V. Kumar, AITUC district general secretary GSJ Atchuta Rao, TNTUC district vice president MS Krishna, HMS district vice president Dommeti Appa Rao, IFTU district vice president Y. Kondayya, YSRCUC district working president K. Dali Naidu, AICTU district secretary K. Shankar Rao, and Public Sector Coordination Committee convener S. Jyothiswara Rao.

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