Workers at the Indian government-run iron ore miner NMDC Limited have launched a country-wide protest against the demerger and subsequent sale of the company’s greenfield steel mill project, trade union officials said on Thursday, November 18.
The trade union officials said that the government’s decision to demerge the 3 million mt greenfield steel mill project coming up in Chhattisgarh state and its subsequent sale to private investors were the first steps of the government to finally privatize the iron ore parent company too.
“We are against the sale of the steel mill project because, if this continues, the day will come when the iron ore company too will be privatized,” a trade union official said.
He said that workers across the states of Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh where NMDC has operations are participating in the country-wide protest.
The Indian government had last year approved the demerger of the steel project into a separate company - Nagarnar Steel Plant - which in turn would be sold off to private investors.