In a significant move towards reviving Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd. , the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a key constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, is set to facilitate value unlocking for the state-owned enterprise located in Visakhapatnam.
This development follows a series of discussions between the Andhara Pradesh government and Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who recently visited the Vizag Steel Plant to assess the situation.
The revitalization of RINL aligns with the central government’s strategic focus on enhancing public sector undertakings (PSUs). The Union Cabinet had earlier approved the privatization of RINL in December 2021, sanctioning of the company.
However, this process had been stalled due to resistance from the then-ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh. With the TDP now back in power, these appears to be a renewed push, these appears to be renewed push to get the process back on track.
The Vizag Steel Plant (VSP), commissioned in 1991 with an initial capacity of 3 million tonnes, had been a profitable enterprise from 2001 to 2012.
However, started in 2017, the company began incurring losses, primarily due to global fluctuations in steel prices, a substantial interest burden, and increased raw material costs exacerbated by the lack of captive mines. These issues collectively led to an additional expenditure of Rs 3,000 crore annually.
In recent years. RNL’s financial health has deteriorated further, with the company reporting losses of Rs 1,604 crore, Rs 1,263 crore, and Rs 1,369 crore during FY 16, FY17, and FY18, respectively. This situation worsened in FY20 and FY21, with losses ballooning to Rs 3,910 crore and Rs 1,012 crore. Additionally, the plant’s production capacity has drastically reduced from its original 7 million tonnes, contributing to its financial woes.
TO counter these challenges, the new value creation model proposed by TDP government focus on enhancing the plant’s capacity. The plan envisions doubling the current capacity from 7 million tonnes to 15 million tonnes, a move that is expected to true the tide for the ailing steel plant. This initiative is seen as a strategic measure to not only restores the plant’s operational efficiency but also to realign it with the central government’s broader agenda of revitalizing PSUs.
As the discussions progress, the focus remains on ensuring that the revival of RINL is sustainable and contributes to the broader economic growth of Andhra Pradesh and the nation. The coming months will be crucial as the TDP-led government works closely with the Centre to finalize and implement this ambitious plan.