Leaders of the INDIA bloc in Jharkhand staged an agitation at the Ranchi Raj Bhavan on Thursday and submitted a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the governor requesting modernisation and revival of HEC and clearing pending salaries of the central PSU’s employees and officials.

CPI Ranchi district secretary Ajay Singh, who took part in the agitation, told The Telegraph that the letter was handed over to the governor, and it was decided at the site of the agitation that the issue of the revival of the Ranchi-based HEC (Heavy Engineering Corporation) would be raised in Delhi.

“The INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) leaders in Jharkhand have agreed to jointly stage an agitation on September 21 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on the issue of revival of HEC and would also plan to gherao the residences of all the 12 Jharkhand MPs (members if the BJP and its ally Ajsu represent 12 out of a total of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand) whose party is in power at Centre for failing to raise the issue of the PSU in the Parliament,” said Singh.

The INDIA bloc leaders and HEC employees during the protest in Ranchi. Manob Chowdhury

The letter to the Prime Minister reminds Modi of the contribution of HEC to Chandrayaan-3 and to the Aditya L1 solar project of Isro and says that HEC built the launchpad for the Aditya project, too. The letter speaks of HEC’s role in setting up steel-giant SAIL’s units in Bhilai, Rourkela, Bokaro and Salem.

“HEC is in a dying state today despite receiving a lot of orders as no modernisation has taken place. Due to the non-availability of working capital owing to the closure of the bank guarantee, HEC is unable to fulfil orders. The salaries of HEC personnel are also unpaid for the last 18 months. There is no permanent managing director since the last two and a half years to make arrangements,” the letter states.

The letter refers to a recommendation by Niti Aayog member V.K. Saraswat for the modernisation of HEC and seeks the revival of the system of bank guarantee for the PSU while ensuring working capital at the earliest.

The rally had representation from senior leaders of the Congress, including its state president Rajesh Thakur, former Ranchi MP Subodh Kant Sahay, JMM central general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya, CPI state secretary Mahendra Pathak, CPM-L state secretary Subhendu Sen, AAP leader Avinash, Trinamul Congress Party leader Khilmand Toppo and RJD leader Anita Yadav among others.