The Neelachal Executive Association (NEA) of the Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) has urged the Union and State Governments for merger of the NINL with the SAIL or the RINL or the NMDC and reoperation of the plant in the interest of the country and employees as well.
NEA general secretary Ajit Kumar Pradhan has sought intervention of Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Steel, Prime Minister’s Office and Chief Minister’ Office in this regard.
Noting that the NINL is capable of achieving more than 100 per cent capacity utilisation and it has no NPA problems, Pradhan said the liquidity crunch arisen out of the decision of strategic 100 per cent disinvestment shareholding, has compelled suspension of production of blast furnace, sinter plant, SMS from July 2019. On March 26, 2020 its major promoter MMTC declined for further funding and supplying imported coal to the NINL. As a result, only one unit, which was running in a bare minimum capacity, has been closed. Presently all the units are under shutdown. Future of about 5,000 employees, including nearly 1,000 displaced and land looser, mostly belonging to tribal community and weaker section of society, has been pushed into darkness. They have not received salary for the last three months. While the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister have issued directions to all Government and private organisations not to deduct or withhold salary of any employee during the Covid-19 lockdown, employees of the NINL have not received salary till date. “Thus, the NINL employees have urged both Union and the State Governments to resume the plant operation and to regularise the wages,” said Pradhan.
Mentioning further that the NINL has 2,500 acres of undisputed land, sufficient for expansion up to 10 MTPA, captive mine of 110 million tonne estimated reserve, state of art production units and well connectivity, the NEA demanded that the NINL be merged with the SAIL or the RINL or the NMDC soon. The merger can help the SAIL achieve its capacity expansion to 50 MTPA by 2030 and the RINL to meet its target 16 MTPA by 2030.
“Merger will allow investment in the NINL’s future modernisation and expansion plans. It will also satisfy SAIL/RINL’s basic requirement of raw material from the mines owned by the NINL,” pointed out Pradhan.
