Senior BJD leader and former Finance Minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadai has demanded that the State Government merge the closed Nilachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) plant with the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) or the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) as many workers of the plant have lost their jobs.
Ghadai has also demanded permanent jobs with decent salary in the 12 steel companies and other companies operating in Kalinganagar and its nearby areas in Jajpur district. He also demanded opening of all the closed mines for the benefit of thousands of workers.
“Due to closure of many mines in Jajpur district and other parts of the State, thousands of workers have become jobless and it is high time for the Government to open all the mines,” said he.
"Many steel companies, including the Tata Steel, acquired lands in Sukinda with conditions to provide jobs to locals. But now, many companies are not considering providing jobs to the displaced locals. Many land losers have also yet to receive their compensation amounts. We demand priority to the locals in employment and reservation of various technical posts in all the 12 steel plants in Kalinganagar,” said Ghadai, who is the adviser of the Kalinganagar Mazdoor Union.
Ghadei also accused the steel plant authorities of adopting anti-local policies in appointments in their projects in violation of the decisions of the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee.