Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh on Saturday said that use of India-made steel would help in sustainable growth of the sector as there is a great potential for increasing steel consumption in the country. Asserting the demand of the alloy, he said that the Government is taking all possible steps to make the country the world’s second largest producer.
“Use of ‘Swadeshi’ steel is the way forward not only for steel consumption but also for sustainable growth of the steel industry and economy. The Government’s emphasis through both ‘Make in India’ initiative and support to ‘Swadeshi’ production offer huge opportunity to raise the domestic steel consumption,” the Steel Minister said at an event of National Steel Consumers’ Council in Mumbai.
Singh further said that India’s current per capita steel consumption stands only at 60 kg, which is very less as compared to the world average of 208 kg. “The Steel Ministry has started a campaign to boost steel consumption in country through encouraging all concerned ministries to use only India-made steel for infrastructure and construction projects of the Government,” he said.
In 2016, India emerged as the third largest steel producer in the world and the Central Government is taking all steps to make the country world’s second largest steel producer, he added. Representatives of MSME producers, integrated steel plants of private and public sector, machinery manufacturers and consumers of infrastructure, transport housing equipment sectors were present in the meeting.
Singh stated that the support extended to the steel industry by way of various trade-remedial measures in recent times have led to a significant reduction in imports and stabilisation of domestic market. Globally, trade protection by various Governments is on the rise. Indian steel industry has to acquire the competitive edge by benchmarking with the best in the world, in order to be a global leader, the Minister said in the meeting.
The Steel Minister also informed the members of the council that the Ministry has for the first time gone in for crowd sourcing of ideas by inviting public suggestions for the National Steel Policy (NSP), 2017. Stressing the need to focus more on research and development, the Minister said, "Domestic steel makers must explore prospects of developing indigenous capability for producing Value Added Steel like CRGO steel and auto-grade steels that are imported into the country. Also, there is a need for improving the quality of domestic steel where the producers must match global standards in quality and then only can they compete with global markets.”
On the future of Indian steel, Singh further said that use of low grade raw materials for production of good quality steel in the most economic way will be the future. Greater emphasis on beneficiation and alternate routes of steel production will have to be explored for being able to use low grade raw materials which are available in abundance.