VISAKHAPATNAM: Clearing the air on the alleged government move to privatise Dredging Corporation of India (DCI), a Mini-ratna public sector unit, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Chemical and Fertilisers Mansukh Laxman Mandaviya on Saturday made it clear that the Centre was not considering any such proposals.
The minister, who visited the DCI, interacted with the employees and the association members who have been protesting for the last 10 days. “I have gone through the files pertaining to the DCI and there is no proposal for its strategic sale,” he said, while allaying fears of the employees.
Earlier in the day, the protesting employees and several unions of the DCI submitted a memorandum to the minister, saying that the DCI has been serving the nation since the last 40 years and it must not be privatised.
“The DCI will continue as a PSU in Visakhapatnam as the company serves the strategic interests of the ports, Indian Navy and the country as a whole,” the Union minister said.
Later in the day, the minister visited the DCI head office and its dredging sites along the Beach Road.
Taking a stock of the beach nourishment activity being carried out by the DCI Dredge-17, near the Kurusura Submarine Museum, he spoke to the DCI and Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) officials regarding the operational details of the exercise.
DCI chairman and managing director Rajesh Tripathi appraised the minister about the progress of the beach nourishment programme which was undertaken by the DCI for the VPT. In a review meeting, the officials briefed the minister about the activities taken up by the DCI in the fields of dredging, land reclamation, beach nourishment and recently signed International dredging contracts.
Later in the day, Mansukh Laxman Mandaviya, Visakhapatnam MP K Haribabu and others took part in a cleanliness drive on the beach.