RINL Executives Choose Gandhi Jayanti for 100-Hour Dharna to Demand Mega Merger of Steel PSUs

In a significant move to press for the revival of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the Steel Executives’ Association (SEA) has announced a 100-hour protest, ‘Ukku Vileena Deeksha’, beginning October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, demanding the merger of SAIL, RINL, NMDC Steel Limited (NSL) and MECON into a mega steel public sector undertaking.

The decision to begin the deeksha on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, lends symbolic significance to the protest. The association plans to use the occasion to press for structural intervention in the steel sector and the resolution of long-pending grievances of RINL executives.

In a representation dated September 26, 2026, addressed to the RINL Chairman-cum-Managing Director and Director (Personnel) in-charge, SEA sought immediate action on employee dues and requested the RINL leadership to forward the proposed merger plan to the Ministry of Steel with a strong recommendation.

The association’s Executive Committee approved the 100-hour deeksha at SEA Bhavan on September 22. General Secretary K.V.D. Prasad has been authorised to undertake the protest on behalf of the executives, while core members of the Steel Executives Federation of India (SEFI) are expected to be present on October 2.

Mega merger at the centre of the agitation

SEA wants SAIL, RINL, NSL and MECON brought under a single mega steel PSU, arguing that the consolidation could create synergies in raw material security, technology, logistics and marketing.

The association has also called for a review of the public sector enterprise policy to retain the steel sector in the strategic sector.

According to its representation, the proposal has been under discussion within officers’ organisations for several years. The Steel Executives Federation of India and the National Confederation of Officers’ Associations had adopted resolutions on retaining steel in the strategic sector and pursuing the merger in 2021 and 2022.

The issue was revisited at the SEFI Council meeting on September 1, 2026, before being taken up with SAIL management on September 2. SEA has stated that SAIL management responded positively to the proposal.

The association is now seeking a formal recommendation from RINL management to the Ministry of Steel.

₹3,000 crore demand for coke oven batteries

A major operational demand is the immediate sanction of ₹3,000 crore exclusively for constructing a new Coke Oven Battery and repairing existing batteries.

SEA has argued that these investments are essential for RINL to operate at its rated capacity.

The association has also demanded a quarterly subsidy of ₹3,000 per tonne on iron ore consumed by RINL until the proposed merger takes place. It maintains that the absence of captive mines puts the Visakhapatnam steelmaker at a disadvantage compared with steel producers that have access to their own mineral resources.

These demands place capital investment and raw material security at the centre of the association’s proposed revival strategy.

Seven demands on executive dues

Alongside the merger proposal, SEA has raised seven demands relating to the pending financial and service-related entitlements of serving and retired executives.

The association has sought the release of pending wages to serving employees, deceased employees’ beneficiaries, retired personnel, executives whose VRS has been sanctioned and pensioners.

It has also demanded retrospective promotions under the earlier promotion policy, with effect from June 2020 for E5 and above and December 2021 for time-bound promotions up to E4, subject to eligibility. SEA has proposed that the financial benefits arising from these promotions could be paid later, after RINL’s financial position improves.

Other demands include:

• Settlement of retirement dues, including VRS packages, earned-leave encashment and wage arrears pending since September 2024.
• Payment of Performance Related Pay (PRP) for FY 2021-22, citing the registration of profit before tax during that year.
• Release of the pending Superannuation Benefit Fund contribution at 6% of basic pay plus dearness allowance for FY 2021-22.
• Continuation of the old Group Medical Insurance Scheme for retired executives at a premium of ₹1,300 per person and settlement of pending OPD claims under the post-retirement medical scheme.
• Intervention with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation to reissue demand letters to employees who opted for higher pension but have not completed payment, with another opportunity to apply.

SEA has linked its promotion demand to concerns over seniority and the departure of executives seeking better career opportunities elsewhere.

Gandhi Jayanti lends symbolic significance

The choice of October 2 gives the proposed protest a distinctive public and symbolic context. Gandhi Jayanti commemorates the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, whose legacy is associated with non-violent resistance and peaceful public action.

SEA’s representation does not explicitly state that Gandhi’s legacy was the reason for selecting the date. However, the commencement of a 100-hour deeksha on the national occasion places the executives’ demands in the wider public spotlight.

The association has stated that executives will not participate in the deeksha during duty hours and has sought a personal meeting with the RINL leadership during the protest.

Management faces calls for immediate intervention

SEA has said that RINL executives continued to support plant operations during difficult periods despite delayed wages, stalled promotions and curtailed benefits.

The association has also cited its earlier interventions on behalf of the company, including approaching the Andhra Pradesh High Court in the Gangavaram Port matter in April-May 2024 to facilitate the release of coking coal for blast furnace operations. It has also referred to its negotiations with the Ministry of Steel for sanction of superannuation benefits in 2018-19.

The October 2 deeksha is intended to press for action on two fronts: immediate settlement of employee-related dues and a long-term structural solution for RINL through the proposed merger, fresh investment and iron ore support.

Whether the agitation prompts concrete action from RINL management and the Ministry of Steel remains to be seen. The association’s representation records its demands and proposed course of action; it does not indicate that the merger, funding or other relief measures have been approved.