‘Not just about giving money’: Lokesh pledges long-term support for steel blast families

IT Minister Nara Lokesh connected Tuesday (June 9, 2026) said that the authorities was not simply extending fiscal assistance to the families of the victims of the recent blast astatine the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), but was lasting firmly with them during 1 of the astir hard phases of their lives.

Speaking to the media astatine the works aft inspecting the mishap site, Mr. Lokesh said that the archetypal signifier of compensation of ₹25 lakh would beryllium provided to the families immediately, arsenic directed by Union Minister for Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy. He added that aft the completion of the last rites and the accepted 11-day mourning period, the affected families would beryllium invited to Amaravati for elaborate discussions connected their aboriginal payment and rehabilitation.

“The absorption should not lone beryllium connected compensation but besides connected securing the aboriginal of the victims’ families. Special attraction indispensable beryllium paid to the acquisition and payment of their children,” helium said.

Responding to a insignificant altercation that occurred astatine King George Hospital (KGH) among immoderate idiosyncratic national representatives, Mr. Lokesh alleged that a fewer national members raised irrelevant issues and reduced the treatment to fiscal compensation alone.

“It is not conscionable astir giving money. We person to guarantee semipermanent enactment to the affected families,” helium said.

Highlighting the effect of the NDA governments astatine some the Centre and the State, Mr. Lokesh noted that Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy reached the mishap tract wrong hours of the incident. Home Minister V. Anitha, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat and respective NDA leaders were continuously monitoring the concern and supporting the victims’ families.

He further pointed retired that Mr. Kumaraswamy had personally announced imperishable employment for 1 eligible subordinate from each affected family, describing it arsenic an unprecedented determination taken successful effect to the tragedy.

Rejecting disapproval from Opposition leaders regarding the government’s handling of emergencies, Mr. Lokesh said the State medication maintains an “Instant Management” WhatsApp radical that includes Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and elder ministers to guarantee a accelerated effect to accidents and disasters.

“Whenever an mishap occurs, ministers instantly scope the spot and guarantee each indispensable assistance is provided. This is our responsibility,” helium said.

Addressing allegations made by YSRCP leaders and definite national representatives linking the mishap to negligence and the projected privatisation of VSP, Mr. Lokesh reiterated that the NDA authorities is committed to safeguarding the alloy plant.

He pointed retired that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had personally taken up the contented with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He said the Centre had extended fiscal enactment of astir ₹15,000 crore to revive the works and facilitate wage payments, portion continuous efforts were being made to reconstruct the alloy plant’s operations and fiscal stability. He besides highlighted the repeated visits and interventions by Union Minister Kumaraswamy arsenic grounds of the government’s committedness to VSP.

Workers worry

In an incidental that highlighted the heavy affectional enslaved betwixt VSP workers and the plant, IT Minister Nara Lokesh said helium was profoundly moved by the words of an injured idiosyncratic during his sojourn to the infirmary aboriginal connected Tuesday.

Interacting with workers undergoing treatment, Mr. Lokesh recalled his speech with Srinivas, 1 of the injured employees. According to Mr. Lokesh, Srinivas told him that the mishap had happened and the workers had religion that the authorities would widen each indispensable enactment to those affected, but they were profoundly disquieted astir the aboriginal of the works and safeguarding it from being privatised.

“Srinivas told america that lakhs of families are straight and indirectly babelike connected VSP and urged the authorities to support the works astatine immoderate outgo from the projected disinvestment. I was profoundly moved by the affectional attachment that the workers person towards the alloy plant. Despite being hospitalised and recovering from the accident, Srinivas’s superior interest was not his ain well-being, but the aboriginal of the alloy plant,” Mr. Lokesh said.