Salem steel plant sale scrapped: Congress says victory of those who opposed ‘ill-thought move’

‘Modi govt responsible for uncertainty’

Earlier in 2019, the Union government decided to halt the privatisation of the Durgapur-based Alloys Steels Plant (ASP) while in 2022, the sale of the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISP) in Bhadravati, Karnataka, was called off, citing a lack of interest from bidders.

In a post on X, Congress General Secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “Five years back, the Modi government decided to sell off three units of SAIL: the Alloys Steel Plant at Durgapur, the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant at Bhadravati, and the Salem Steel Plant. Now it appears that the privatisation has been called off.”

“It is a victory no doubt for the workers who agitated against the sale and for parties like the Indian National Congress that had stoutly opposed the ill-thought move,” Ramesh said.

But the uncertainty these past few years has affected the companies for which the Modi government is solely responsible, he added.

Five years back the Modi government decided to sell off three units of SAIL: the Alloys Steel Plant at Durgapur, the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant at Bhadravati and the Salem Steel Plant. Now it appears that the privatisation has been called off.

It is a victory no doubt…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 5, 2024

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