Virbhadra Singh was accorded a warm and rousing reception by large number of Congress workers

DHARMSHALA---Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh was accorded a warm and rousing reception by large number of Congress workers who welcomed him at Jawalamukhi, with traditional musical instruments as he entered the town today. People waited for hours to receive him and welcomed him by raising slogans of victory. People were overjoyed to welcome their leader on his 1st visit to Jawalamukhi after being sworn in as Union Steel Minister.
He visited the famous shrine of Jawlamukhi along with other Congress Leaders He claimed that his ministry had formulated a strategy to enhance production of steel not only in public sector undertakings (PSUs), but also to improve and strengthen private steel industries in the country.
Ridiculing the recent assertion of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal that the Union Steel Ministry had been ranked lowest in the country, he said it was concocted and political motivated canard.
He claimed that during his one-year tenure, the ministry had earmarked Rs 70,000 and Rs 10,000 crore, respectively, on enhancing capacity of steel processing units of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and core mines in the country whereas Rs 13,000 crore had been spent on capacity improvement of Bishakha Patanam-based National Steel Udhoyg. He said his ministry targeted to double steel production from existing 60 million tonnes by the end of 2012 financial year.
Union Minister for Steel and former Chief Minister of Himachal Virbhadra Singh has expressed apprehension regarding objectivity in the forthcoming party elections at lower levels. Virbhadra said it had been a tradition in the Congress that the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), after completing elections at lower levels, authorised the party command for nominating state party president. “It is a tradition and I have no problem with the practice. However, I am expecting fair elections at lower levels and elections of party delegates. I am apprehensive that these elections will be conducted in an objective manner,” he said.
Earlier too, Virbhadra had expressed apprehensions regarding objectivity in the state party elections. Virbhadra and his opponents in the state Congress have lobbied hard for getting observers of their choice in various districts.
He has been openly confronting Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes and HPCC president Kaul Singh Thakur for their allegedly soft attitude towards the current BJP government.