The second round of regional conference titled Make in India-Make in Steel and Doubling per capita Steel Consumption, organised by Ministry of Steel, for Northern region was inaugurated by Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh in ludhiana. Minister of State for Steel Vishnu Deo Sai, Dr. Aruna Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Sunil Barthwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel, P.K. Singh, Chairman, SAIl, M. Bhaduri, CMD, HSCl, Dr. Sanak Mishra, Secretary General, Indian Steel Association and representatives from private steel sector were also present during the occasion. Considering the presence of industrial hub including two-wheeler and cycle manufacturing, pipe and tubes, re-rolling mills, engineering goods and equipments, strong farm based economy and hilly terrains in North India, northern region assumes importance for steel industry both in terms of production and consumption. Addressing the conference, Chaudhary Birender Singh said, “Northern region accounts for 40 per cent steel consumption and more ideas on steel demand enhancement will be generated at the ludhiana Conference. Domestic steel industry, which contributes 2 per cent to the GDP, has huge potential, but there is need for diversification and innovation to generate demand in the steel industry. The Indian steel industry has to become more competitive and it has to benchmark the parameters for becoming a world-class steel producer.”
Speaking at the occasion, Minister of State, Vishnu Deo Sai said, “While the ministry targets to escalate production to 300 million tonnes, the demand creation for this volume and marketing it is the biggest challenge.” While addressing the conference, Chairman, SAIl, P.K. Singh said, “Steel consumption in India will increase as a result of Make in India-Make in Steel initiative. Both urban and rural consumption is bound to increase due to various government initiatives. SAIl with its efforts in the direction of offering more value added and ready to use products is supporting this move.”
Similarly, in the maiden regional conference of Eastern States, on the theme of ‘Enhancing steel consumption in India’ was inaugurated by Union Minister of Steel Chaudhary Birender Singh in Gangtok, Sikkim. Considering the low per capita steel consumption at 61 kg in India vis-à-vis the world average of 208 kg, there is a significant potential for improving the domestic steel consumption and this conference will explore all such avenues of steel use promotion. Speaking at the occasion, Minister emphasised on the numerous advantages of steel and promotion of steel intensive structures for longevity, safety and reducing costs during the construction and added that steel industry should develop innovative ways to make common man understand the numerous advantages of steel.
The minister said, “Steel is a product which has strong forward and backward linkages in terms of material flows and income generation. From construction, industrial machinery to consumer products, steel finds its way into a wide variety of applications.” He added that a strong steel industry is the foundation of nation’s rapid industrial development and India has become world’s third largest steel producer and is expected to achieve an installed capacity of 300 MT of crude steel by 2030-31. The minister added, “The flagship programmes announced by the Prime Minister, especially Make in India, Smart Cities, Digital India and Skill India, the intense thrust given by the Central Government on Affordable housing by giving it an infrastructure status, expansion of railway networks, development of domestic shipbuilding industry, opening up of defence sector for private participation, and the anticipated growth in the automobile sector, would lead to substantial demand for steel in the country.”
The regional conference was also attended by Sunil Barthwal, Joint Secretary, Steel Ministry, PK Singh, Chairman, SAIl, M. Bhaduri, CMD, HSCl and Sushim Banerjee DG, INSDAG and representatives from private steel sector.