Jagan demands Rs 1 crore compensation

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday demanded that the families of workers killed in the recent Visakhapatnam Steel Plant accident be paid Rs 1 crore each as compensation and provided employment opportunities. He said that if the NDA government failed to extend such support, a future YSRCP government would provide the compensation within a month of assuming office.

After visiting injured workers undergoing treatment at SevenHills and KIMS hospitals in Visakhapatnam, Jagan interacted with the victims and their family members before addressing the media. Expressing grief over the deaths of nine workers and injuries to several others, he said the state government must show greater sensitivity towards the affected families.

Jagan criticized the compensation package announced so far, arguing that much of the financial assistance being highlighted consisted of statutory benefits already due to employees. He questioned what additional support was being provided directly by the state government and urged the coalition administration to announce a dedicated relief package for the victims’ families.

The former Chief Minister also alleged that the condition of the steel plant and its workforce had deteriorated significantly over the past two years. He claimed that more than 10,000 jobs had been lost, including thousands of contract workers, while employees were facing salary delays and the withdrawal of several benefits.

Highlighting the YSRCP government’s efforts to prevent the privatization of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Jagan recalled that his administration had written to the Centre, appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and passed a resolution in the Assembly opposing privatization.

He urged the present government to pass a similar resolution and intensify efforts to safeguard the future of the steel plant and its workers, while ensuring justice and adequate compensation for the families affected by the tragedy.