Rahul Gandhi opens revived steel plant

Jagdishpur (UP), Feb 28 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi has vowed to make his constituency stand out as the best in Uttar Pradesh after presiding over a function marking the reopening of a sick steel plant here.

Rahul reopened Malvika Steel, a sick steel plant, in his parliamentary constituency of Amethi on Friday.Rahul said that the reopening of the plant, which shut own in early 1998, was one of his dreams.

"On that day, I made up my mind that if I will do one thing in these five years, it would be the reopening of this steel plant," he said.

Rahul also said with the cooperation of the people, he would make Amethi and Rae Bareilly, the best districts in a state ruled by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

"We will fight this battle together and make Amethi and Rae Bareilly the best districts of Uttar Pradesh," he added.

The Congress party has tied up with the state's main opposition, Samajwadi Party in a bid to unseat the BSP in the forthcoming general elections.

The steel plant, spread over an area of about 740 acres, was acquired by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in an auction held under aegis of Delhi High Court at a price of Rs.209 crore.

As per preliminary estimates, SAIL will invest around Rs.300 crore to make the plant viable. Thus, the total investment by SAIL in this venture would be more than 500 crore, which is the largest single investment in the steel sector in the State of Uttar Pradesh.

The main strengths of the plant are: (i) located on a major highway and rail route; (ii) adequate flat land for a well laid out steel plant and township; (iii) proximity to a perennial water source; (iv) proximity to vast consuming centers in Uttar Pradesh small pig size (10 kg) preferred by foundaries; and (v) most of the civil works, structural works and major equipment for the major facilities are available. (ANI)