Steel QC Order protects consumer interest: ISSDA

Industry body ISSDA today came in support of government's Stainless Steel Quality Control Order and said there are some players with "unethical vested interests" running an agenda against the QCO.
"We condemn the smear campaign being conducted by handful of unethical vested interests against the government's QC Order on stainless steel flat products," Indian Stainless Steel Development Association's (ISSDA) said in a statement.
ISSDA's response assumes significance as other industry bodies like Metal and Stainless Steel Merchant's Association, All India Stainless Steel Industries Association and Process Plant & Machinery Association of India (PPMAI) have alleged that the QC Order has been implemented without discussions with end users.

The main objective of this QC Order is protection of consumer interest against sub-standard stainless steel. This irresponsible campaign against stainless steel QCO, amounts to slander against Prime Minister's vision for 'Zero Deficit, Zero Effect', manufacturing in India, it added.
"Opposing progressive government policies for suiting their own agenda is not only against public interest but also affects long-term competitiveness of the country," it said.
ISSDA President N C Mathur further said that "the stainless steel QCO serves the well-being of the industry in long-term and consumer interest at large and we condemn these unethical associations' allegations to term this order as 'arbitrary'."

ISSDA would like to bring this important fact in public domain that starting from first round of stakeholder's consultations on stainless steel QC Order, which began in August 2014, Steel Ministry invited all concerned stakeholders including end users like BHEL, EIL and utensils makers etc to seek inputs on the subject.

Secondly, the draft QC Order was put in public domain for seeking comments from all stakeholders within a period of 60 days. Not only the domestic but all foreign manufacturers were also given an opportunity to present their views on the draft as prescribed by WTO rules until October 2015.

"Thus, to term the stainless steel QC Order as arbitrary is a complete false allegation and this challenges the government bonafide decision in public interest after following due procedure," Mathur said.
Further, views of all stakeholders were considered before issuing the QCO. To say this exercise was conducted in isolation is a blatant false and misplaced allegation against the government, with deliberate intension of misleading the public, he added.