Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presenting the PM’s trophy for ‘Best Integrated Steel Plant’ for 2002-03 to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant’s Chairman and Managing Director Y. Siva Sagar Rao on May 20, 2006. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy looks on. File
| Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a special bond with Visakhapatnam and participated in quite a few programmes in the city, including the laying of foundation stone for the expansion of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP). He was also instrumental in the expansion of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).
There was an air of festivity at the VSP during the visit of Dr. Singh on May 20, 2006.
“He laid the foundation stone for expansion of the VSP, besides presenting the PM’s trophy for being the Best Integrated Steel Plant from the same platform. The then CMD, Y. Siva Sagar Rao, received the trophy from Dr. Singh,” recalled a VSP official on Friday.
The then Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the then Union Minister of Steel, Ram Vilas Paswan, and the then MP, T. Subbarami Reddy, were among those present on the occasion.
The stone was laid for expansion of the steel plant capacity from 3 million tonnes to 6.3 million tonnes.
“Dr. Singh was instrumental in the merger of Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), which was then in losses, with the Defence sector and the Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Limited (BHPV) with the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). He had announced that another shipyard would be allotted to Andhra Pradesh. He had participated in the inaugural of the Gangavaram Port and played a key role in the setting up of the Naval Alternate Operating Base (NAOB) at Rambilli in Visakhapatnam district,” Koyya Prasada Reddy, former Chairman of AP Technology Services (APTS), told The Hindu.
Dr. Singh, who was the chief guest at the five-day Indian Science Congress, organised by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) at Andhra University in January 2008, had announced a new scheme – INSPIRE – to attract talent.
Dr. Singh had launched INS Arihant, the nuclear-powered submarine, which was built at the Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), on July 26, 2009, the anniversary of ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’, organised to mark the victory of India over Pakistan in the Kargil War. He had asked his wife Gursharan Kaur to break the coconut to mark the launch of the submarine.
Meanwhile, leaders of political parties and others from various walks of life condoled the demise of Dr. Singh.
YSRCP MLC Botcha Satyanarayana paid tributes to Dr. Singh in the city. Former Minister Gudivada Amarnath garlanded the portrait of Dr. Singh at the party office. Rajya Sabha member Golla Babu Rao, MLC Varudu Kalyani, party leaders T. Vijay Kumar, T. Nagireddy and Chintalapudi Venkataramaiah paid tributes to the departed leader.
Published – December 28, 2024 02:40 am IST
