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The Union government is aiming at scaling the steel output at SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited) to 50 million tonnes by 2025. Expansion plans of other government-owned entities are on the anvil.
"At present, the PSU has a production of 13 million tonnes which would be augmented further to 23 million tonnes by September this year. We are targetting it to take up to 50 million tonnes, with an investment of Rs 150,000 crore," Narendra Singh Tomar, Union minister for mining and steel said here today. "In order to achieve a target of producing 300 million tonnes of steel by 2025, a concept of special purpose vehicle has been proposed with state governments of Chhattisgharh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Karnataka."
Further expansion of Bhilai Steel Plant with an investment of Rs 15,000 crore approximately is on the anvil, Tomar said, adding that the expansion of SAIL's IISCO steel plant at Burnpur is also ready to be dedicated to the nation. "We have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dedicate it to the nation," Tomar said.
He added that his government wanted to expedite exploration work of minerals across India, as only 800,000 sq meter of area has come under exploration, of which only one per cent is under mining. However, he pointed out that the total area was nearly 3.2 million sq km.
Tomar also said SAIL can put up a steel plant of one-million-tonne capacity in economically backward districts of Bundelkhand region like Tikamgarh and Chhatrarpur. "It can also set up a pelletisation plant if availability of ore remains 40 million tonnes," he said.
Also, the minister said NALCO is exploring the availability of bauxite so that it can set up an alumina smelter plant in Madhya Pradesh. Further, MOIL (Manganese Ore India Limited) and Hindustan Copper Limited have earmarked an investment of Rs 1,854 crore and Rs 500 crore in Madhya Pradesh.
"NALCO and MOIL will set up a solar power plant of 20 Mw capacity in Madhya Pradesh," Tomar said, adding that states would soon frame rules for grant and regulations of 31 minerals which have been notified as "minor"minerals.
The states are also enabled to prescribe the method for grant of mineral concessions, and rate of royalty contribution of DMF (District Mineral Federation) for these minerals.
To ensure that states to have enhanced share of mineral resources, the Centre has started e-auction of all minerals. "It has brought transparency in the system," the minister said. Further, requirement of prior permission of the central government has been done away with. "States like Madhya Pradesh will start auction of ten minerals such as bauxite and iron ore," he said.
