By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Steel-PNG Dharmendra Pradhan in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Saturday said that the Government has taken various steps to boost export competitiveness in Steel sector. He said steps like Export promotion schemes like Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), Market Access Initiative, Export Promotion Council, Advance Authorization, Export Promotion of Capital Goods (EPCG) etc.Maintaining very low import duty on critical inputs like coking coal, iron ore, steel scrap, nickel etc, are being implemented.
Promoting multi model logistics and enhancing use of inland waterways and coastal shipping to reduce logistics cost.Allocation of captive iron ore mines and focus on steel clusters to help steel sector become more competitive for enhanced exports are also on focus, he said. As Steel is a de-regulated sector, Steel companies take their own decisions based on commercial considerations and market dynamics, both for domestic as well as overseas trade, Pradhan said.
About, SAIL, the Minister said Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) had undertaken Modernization and Expansion of its five Integrated Steel Plants at Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Bokaro (Jharkhand), Rourkela (Odisha), Durgapur (West Bengal), Burnpur (West Bengal) and Special Steel Plant at Salem (Tamil Nadu) to enhance its Crude Steel capacity from 12.8 Million Tonne Per Annum (MTPA) to 21.4 MTPA. The Modernization and Expansion at the above Steel Plants has been completed and various facilities are under operation, stabilization and ramp up.
Ministry of Steel has constituted a Technical Committee, comprising officials of BIS and domain experts from the industry to examine applications for import of steel products whether the steel products being imported fall within the purview of the Steel Quality Control Order or otherwise. Based on the recommendation of Technical Committee, ministry issues requisite clarification to the applicants. The ministry has set up a dedicated QCO portal for processing the applications since July, 27 2020. As per the state-wise break-up 472 applications have been received in the Portal so far.
