The steel ministry is planning to bring a Cabinet note to merge all its research bodies under an umbrella institute Steel Research & Technology Mission of India, an official said on Friday. The development comes against the backdrop of Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh expressing displeasure over PSUs not developing appetite for special steel production despite India being the world’s third largest producer of the metal.
“A Cabinet note is likely soon to bring different institutions and organisations for research and development under the administrative control of steel ministry under a single umbrella - Steel Research & Technology Mission of India (SRTMI),” a steel ministry official, who did not wish to be quoted, told PTI. SRTMI as an umbrella body will be a brilliant example of 'minimum Government & maximum governance', the official said.
“We may become the second largest steel producer but we can become leaders only if we lead in research for high-end and better steel & processes of steel-making...There is a need for innovation, out-of-box-thinking, research and development in the steel industry,” the steel minister told PTI. lamenting that India is still dependent on imports for some products, Singh said there is need to develop technologies to produce electrical grade and auto grade steel in the country to become self sufficient and research is needed for it.
The specialised steel will fetch better prices in the international market, the steel minister said, adding research and development in the industry is almost negligible or has been scattered and duplication of efforts is a hindrance to research on a large scale. PTI