Decision to ‘dissolve’ SAIL’s RMD headquarters in Kolkata part of larger conspiracy against Bengal: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Monday said the decision to "dissolve" Steel Authority of India's raw material division headquarters in Kolkata was part of a larger conspiracy by the Centre against the state.

Ritabrata Banerjee, the state unit secretary of TMC's trade union, said the central government took the measure despite the RMD of the steel major being a major contributor to its profits, and helping allied MSMEs in the state.

"We have information that the RMD will be tagged with two captive mines in Rourkela and Bokaro and gradually wound up. The move will compel alloy steel units in Paschim Bardhaman district depending on it to close down, and render thousands jobless...," he said.

He said the step can only be linked with the BJP's "deep antipathy against Bengal and a conspiracy to shut down small and medium units here".

Banerjee said the Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress will stage protests at the company's RMD office in the city and in Paschim Bardhaman, adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

'Bangla Pokksho', an organisation promoting the cause of Bengal, in a statement, said the decision will "force companies in the state to buy iron ore at market price, which is five times higher than the present rate”.

Sources had told PTI on Saturday the company's board has decided to "dissolve the RMD and transfer control of its mines to Rourkela Steel Plant (Odisha) and Bokaro Steel Plant (Jharkhand) depending on their location".

SAIL's mines located in Odisha would come under the administrative control of RSP, and the ones in Jharkhand will be under the jurisdiction of BSP, they said.

The sources added that the non-contractual employees at the RMD headquarters would be shifted to Rourkela and Bokaro, but the axe was likely to fall on contractual workers.