Govt finalising plans to privatise Nagarnar steel plant: Congress
Raipur | Correspondent: Congress leader and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh has accused the Modi government of planning to privatize the Nagarnar steel plant in Chhattisgarh. The foundation stone for this plant in Bastar was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, TS Singhdeo, has expressed the party’s solidarity with the tribal communities in opposing this privatization move.
On Saturday, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh took to social media platform X, citing a news report to back his claim-“It appears that NMDC Steel in Bastar will now definitely be privatized before the end of FY25. Aap chronology samajhiye.”
Jairam Ramesh wrote that, “On October 3, 2023, the non-biological PM inaugurated the Steel Plant and promised that the Nagarnar Steel Plant is the property of the people of Bastar and will remain with them.”
He added-“On October 19, 2023, Swayambhu Chanakya reiterated the PM’s promise that the NMDC’s Bastar Steel Plant won’t be privatized.”
Jairam Ramesh attacked the BJP government and wrote-“There has been consensus in Chhattisgarh that the steel plant should not be sold. Former BJP Chief Minister Raman Singh had written to the Prime Minister in April 2017, objecting to the privatization of the plant. Former Congress CM Baghel had written to the PM objecting to privatization on multiple occasions, and had even offered to have the State Government take on responsibility for the plant’s operations at the NITI Aayog meeting with the Prime Minister on 21 February 2021.”
The Congress leader said,”After failing to heed the words of the state’s political leadership, and going back on their own promises, the non-biological PM and his Government are now finalizing plans to sell the Nagarnar Steel Plant. Who may well buy it is another story.”
TS Singhdev furious
Former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, TS Singhdev, has strongly condemned the move to privatize the Nagarnar Steel Plant, asserting that the Congress party will not stand for it.
Singhdev emphasized that the Congress stands firmly with the tribal communities, who were assured that their land would be used for a government project aimed at national progress. They were also promised job opportunities based on reservation policies within the government-run plant.
Recalling the stance of the Congress during its time in power, Singhdev mentioned that former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had made a commitment in the assembly that the state government would intervene to prevent the plant from being privatized. If the central government proceeds with the sale, the state would take steps to acquire it.
Singhdev criticized the central government’s actions, describing them as part of a broader scheme to benefit a select group of private individuals. He demanded an immediate halt to the privatization process, insisting that the Nagarnar Steel Plant should remain under the control of NMDC.
