After bringing in two policies to boost the domestic steel sector, a slew of steps are on to achieve the target of 300 million tonnes (MT) of output, Steel Minister Choudhary Birender Singh said on Thursday. Urging steel producers to come forward to achieve the ambitious target, the minister also said he has asked Coal India to ensure sufficient supply of the fuel.

  The Cabinet, in May, approved two policies, including the National Steel Policy 2017 that envisages Rs10 lakh crore investment to take capacity to 300 million tonnes by 2030-31, to give a boost to the domestic steel sector. The country's steel output is about 100 million tonnes at present.

“National Steel Policy 2005 fell short of expectations to meet the developments in the Indian steel sector. The National Steel Policy 2017 comes with an aim to make India self-sufficient. To meet demand for high grade steel, electrical steel, special steel and alloys, an area where support from all steel producers is crucial,” Singh said. Addressing a workshop on National Steel Policy 2017 and policy for providing preference to domestically manufactured iron and steel products (DMI&SP) in government procurement, he said, ‘value addition, research and development, raw material security are some of important points in our steel policy’.

With this vision, “We had meeting with Coal Ministry to take quick decisions pertaining to thrust areas. Coal India ltd and Bharat Coking Coal ltd have agreed to set up 12 new coking coal washeries by 2019-20.” “For this I have asked that they should give a road-map as to how many would be in place for function. Not all should take three years to be functional.”