The management of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) is putting increasing pressure on the remaining staff to increase production capacity at a time when the workforce is becoming less strong.

Following that, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited staff are under a lot of stress.

Sandeep Poundrik, the secretary of the Steel Ministry, recently visited the mill and spoke with several of the workers. He emphasized that manufacturing capacity must be maximized and employee and contract worker strength should be minimized.

Up to 1,213 workers at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant were retired on March 31, 2025. 1,124 of them applied for the voluntary retirement plan (VRS). Following the VRS, a total of Rs 462 crore was put into their bank accounts. However, they have not yet received their provident fund or earned leaves.

Within a week or ten days, the management promised to distribute the amount of earned leaves. But it will come to pass. Meanwhile, the plant’s current staff had not yet received their March salaries. In addition, the management must provide the workers their overdue half salary for the previous two months.

Nearly 1,000 contract workers were let go from the VSP throughout the last 30 days. Trade unions have been demonstrating in favor of them and against their removal.

Likewise, the management of VSP directed employees who were above 50 to go through medical fitness examinations at Visakha Steel General Hospital. The management banned 45 workers’ passes since some of them did not take the examinations.

INTUC leader Neerukonda Ramachandra Rao told The Hans India that the management is eager to undermine the plant workers’ power, citing a number of reasons. “With the help of the current staff, it is absolutely impossible to continue with the whole production. He emphasized that it is unethical for management to put pressure on staff members even in the absence of monthly compensation.

An further 4,000 workers are anticipated to retire during the following four years. “There is not enough labor or a sufficient quantity of raw materials to run RINL at full capacity. D Adi Narayana, head of the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee, said, “Even though the management is aware of the situation on the ground, it still puts pressure on the current employees to work towards full production.”