Vizag Steel Merger with SAIL: SEA General Secretary KVD Prasad Begins 100-Hour Hunger Strike – Indian PSU

Steel Executives Association (SEA) General Secretary KVD Prasad began a 100-hour hunger strike at 8 AM on Friday, demanding the merger of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL) with Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), along with financial assistance and resolution of long-pending employee grievances.

The hunger strike, launched at the Steel Executives Association premises, seeks ₹3,000 crore in financial assistance for the construction and repair of coke oven batteries, a subsidy of ₹3,000 per tonne of iron ore consumed, promotions with notional seniority, and immediate payment of pending wage arrears and retirement dues.

The protest received support from the Steel Executives Federation of India (SEFI), whose Chairman Narendra Kumar Banchoor, General Secretary Ankur Mishra and representatives Ashutosh and Santosh Kumar Singh participated in the programme.

SEFI Backs Merger of Vizag Steel, Nagarnar Steel and MECON with SAIL

Addressing the gathering, SEFI Chairman Narendra Kumar Banchoor said the federation’s policy was to seek the merger of Vizag Steel, Nagarnar Steel and MECON with SAIL.

He argued that such a consolidation was necessary to expand India’s steel production capacity to 600 million tonnes, as envisaged in the new Steel Policy. Banchoor also assured the gathering that the issues raised by the protesting executives would be brought to the attention of steel managements and the central leadership.

Young officers and employees who had opted for the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), including SVC Bosu and Sonti Srinivasa Rao, explained their concerns to the SEFI leadership and representatives.

PwD Officers Raise Promotion Grievances

During the programme, Venkat and Shiva submitted a memorandum to Banchoor alleging that the existing promotion policy for officers with disabilities was inconsistent with Supreme Court orders. They sought appropriate corrective action and fair consideration of promotions for persons with disabilities (PwD).

The demand for promotions with notional seniority was among the key issues raised during the hunger strike.

Former Officers, Union Leaders Extend Support

Several former officers, including Vasa Murthy, Dasharath, Dega Satyanarayana and Uma Maheswara Rao, expressed solidarity with the protest.

Representatives of the Aganampudi Senior Citizens Association, including Gajendra Rao, Bosu Babu, Shafi, Ravi Kumar and Bhaskara Raju, also declared their support.

Union leaders Adinarayana, Mantri Rajasekhar, Murthy, Venkat, Ayodhya Ram and N. Ramarao, along with Corporator Gangarao and Mantri Jagannatham, extended their support. Representatives of TNTUC, including Villa Ram Mohan and Palla Penta Rao, and former employee Bisoi also backed the initiative.

The programme was attended by SEA President Vidyut Kumar Verma, Vice President Srikant Kalyan, Joint Secretary Mutyala Satyanarayana and several committee members.

The 100-hour hunger strike seeks to draw the attention of steel sector managements and the government to the financial, operational and employee-related issues facing Vizag Steel, with the proposed merger with SAIL emerging as its principal demand.