Birender Singh wants Joint Plant Committee to be more representative

Union minister of steel Birender Singh has asked the Joint Plant Committee (JPC) to expand its board to include representatives from hitherto unrepresented segments such as stainless steel, scrap and sponge iron.

Set up in 1964, the JPC is officially empowered by the ministry to collect data on the iron and steel industry. The aim is to give a sense of the demand-supply pattern. This is used in formulating guidelines for production, pricing and distribution.

"The secondary steel industry now forms more than 50% of the entire sector and, hence, it is important to have their representation at the board