Don't politicise Bayyaram : CM

Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday urged all political parties not to politicise Bayyaram mines issue since the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was not only the 'Andhrula Hakku' but also pride of the nation. Addressing a public meeting at Vepagunta on the outskirts of the Visakhapatnam city while launching Amma Hastam on Saturday, the Chief Minister said the political parties should note that the mines were given to a public sector undertaking steel plant and not to the private individuals.

"We did not allocate mines to an individual or his son or daughter but to a government factory. Why these parties were silent when 55,000 hectares were given to a political leader," he questioned.A He said the Steel Plant is expanding in phases and in the next couple of years, the plant would be investing Rs 42,000 crore creating 25,000 additional jobs.

Launching Amma Hastam, Kiran Kumar Reddy said the State government would be absorbing the inflation and fix the price of essential goods package to Rs 185 only. A PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana echoed the views of the CM and said Bayyaram mines allotment to Vizag Steel was a noble decision.A Ministers Dharmana Prasada Rao Minister for Civil Supplies Sridhar Babu also spoke. Ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Kondru Murali and local MLAs were present.

RINL directors meet CM Directors of RINL, the holding company of the Vizag Steel Plant, Umesh Chandra and P Madhusudan, met the Chief Minister on Saturday and expressed gratitude for allotting mines to RINL.