The government will soon launch a portal for sale of steel at competitive prices to boost construction activity , after 95 lakh tonnes of cement was booked online, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari today said.
The development assumes significance as domestic producers face an onslaught of cheaper steel imports from China, Japan and Korea.
"We will soon launch a webportal through which steel will be available for government sector at competitive prices by steelmakers as we did in cement.
"Three lakh tonnes of cement have been sold while 95 lakh tonnes have been booked by various government departments through the portal where 37 cement makers have got 117 factories registered," Gadkari said.
The portal will ensure that various steel makers register themselves there and any state or central government department can book the steel through it, he said on the sidelines of an event here.
Cement prices had shot up after announcement of construction of concrete roads but soon after the launch of the webportal for sale of cement, the prices came down heavily and the commodity was made available for Rs 120 to Rs 140 a bag against Rs 300 or more in market, the Minister said.
"The basic idea behind this is to boost construction activities in the country which in turn will accelerate economic growth. Also, this will make the system corruption free, transparent and time bound," The Minister added.
E-governance is the need of the hour and "I am zero-tolerant for corruption in my departments and would ensure administrative reforms," he said.
The announcement comes at a time when domestic steelmakers are seeking steps from the government to counter cheap and large imports from China, the world's largest producer.
Indian Steel Association has also recently written to the Steel Ministry to intervene to check cheap imports.
Earlier this month, the government raised basic customs duty on base metals such as iron, steel, copper, nickel and aluminium by 2.5 per cent.
Also, during the launch of a construction portal constructionmandi.Com by private players earlier, Gadkari urged them to employ local youths by developing their skill.
He said the government is also mulling a scheme to provide stipends to local youths who will be engaged for skill development.
On highways building, the Minister said that recently work order was awarded for Rs one lakh crore worth of projects that include Rs 10,000 crore projects in Bihar.
He said projects worth Rs 3.80 lakh crore were stuck at the time he took over the charge of the Ministry out of which projects worth Rs 2.50 lakh crore have been started.
Projects worth about Rs 60,000 crore had to be terminated while the decision on about Rs 60,000 crore worth of projects will be taken soon.
