RINL employees urge PMO to clear pending salaries, VRS dues amid healthy cash reserves

Employee collectives of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, have appealed to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to clear pending salaries and welfare settlements, citing the enterprise’s financial health. The appeal was made through a social media representation on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.

The representation, shared by groups such as VizagSteelFamily, pointed to RINL’s turnover of ₹36,363 crore over the last two years, monthly wage savings of around ₹55 crore, emergency reserves exceeding ₹900 crore, and a liquid cash balance of ₹195 crore. Despite these figures, several employee-related dues remain unresolved, according to the groups.

The pending items listed include salaries of regular working employees, full and final settlement payments for beneficiaries of the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) phases 2 and 3, family pensions and widow pensions for dependents of deceased employees, and productivity-linked incentive (PLI) dues said to be pending for the past ten years.

Employee associations and retired personnel’s forums have questioned the delay, arguing that the company’s operational cash flows and reserve balances provide no technical or financial justification for withholding these payments. They have urged the Centre to direct RINL’s management to clear all pending settlements without further delay.

In one of the posts addressed to @PMOIndia, the collective asked: “Despite generating ₹36,363 cr, saving ₹55 cr/month on wages, maintaining ₹900+ cr emergency funds and still holding ₹195 cr cash, why the following remain pending: Working employees salary, Full settlement of VRS-2 & -3 beneficiaries, Family Pension/Widow Pension.”

Another post tagged RINL’s official handle (@RINL_VSP) and reiterated the demand for clearance of salaries, full VRS payments, family/widow pensions, and PLI dues. The messages reflect growing frustration among employees and pensioners who have been waiting for these settlements.

RINL, a public sector undertaking, operates the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in Andhra Pradesh. The plant has a significant workforce, including regular employees, retired staff, and families of deceased workers who depend on pensions and settlement amounts. The employee groups have been raising these issues for some time, but Wednesday’s direct appeal to the PMO marks a notable escalation.

The appeal comes at a time when many central public sector enterprises are under scrutiny for financial management and employee welfare. RINL’s management has not yet issued a public response to the latest representation. The PMO has also not acknowledged the posts as of the time of reporting.

The employee forums have stated that they will continue to press their demand until the dues are cleared. They have called upon the government to intervene and ensure that the welfare of those associated with the steel plant is prioritised, given the company’s reported financial capacity.