Need to ban export of iron ore: Virbhadra

Emphasizing on technology,the minister said that steel industry is growing and there was a need to keep pace with it by constant technology upgradation and innovating new types and uses of Steel.

“There is a need to conserve our natural resources for the future. India must be the biggest exporter than the biggest consumer of steel,” aspired the minister.

He said that the states in the north faced certain disadvantages due to the distance from the source of steel. Ways need to be found to overcome the geographical disadvantages.

Northern Region is the largest consumer of Steel with changing skylines of rural India. “For this we have created hypermarts where the customers can come and conveniently pick any quantity at pre fix prices & deliver off the shelf”,informed J Mehra,Director,ESSAR Group.

He added that if the major issue of availability of power is resolved,by the states or through captive generation,the steel sector in north is poised for steep growth. Other impediments which need to be addressed are project clearance and untimely delivery of raw material which results in the erosion of the edge Indian Industry would have otherwise enjoyed due to the availability of cheap labour and raw materials.

In India the largest share of steel is used in development of infrastruture. As much as 33 per cent of the steel is consumed by this sector. Next to follow is the real estate sector that consumes 16 per cent of the steel. The engineering units and manufacturing are next in line.

Representing the Secondary steel industry,J K Arora,President,All India Induction Furnace Association,demanded for support from the Steel Ministry. “Secondary steel industry,once regarded as a scrap processor,today produced about 30 million tons of steel of the country operating at a growth of 20 per cent per annum,involving green technologies. We are in processes of putting up a cooperative and all we seek is support from the government. We need no subsidies,but do not want to be cross- subsidized”,he insisted.

The CII Steel Mart 2010 brought with it the directions for steel industry in North. Higher automation,focus on special products,high end products for both domestic and export market and joint investments in technical manpower were focal points in order to bring back the growth trajectory of Steel industry. The special CEO forum saw the discussion on the challenges and opportunities the Indian Steel will face to to meet Mission 2012.

CII has been working to provide relief to the victims of cloudburst in Leh in August. Bipin Kumar Vohra,Chairman and Managing Director,SPS Group,instigated to contribute to the whole steel requirement for the construction of houses in Leh.