The two-day Chintan Shivir at Mayfair Convention, Bhubaneswar, was inaugurated today, marking the start of an intensive dialogue on the future of India’s steel industry. The event was inaugurated by Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, Hon’ble Union Minister of Steel, in the presence of Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, Hon’ble Minister of State for Steel, Shri Hemant Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Industries,  Odisha and Shri Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary, Ministry of Steel. Senior officials of the Ministry, along with heads of CPSEs from SAIL, NMDC, MOIL, MECON, MSTC, domain experts from INSDAG, ISCA, BISAG, representatives from private industries like TATA Steel, JSW joined the deliberations.

In his address, Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy expressed gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for his strategic leadership, which has guided the domestic steel industry on a path of resilience and growth. He underlined the pivotal role of the steel sector in nation-building and reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening capacity, fostering innovation and promoting self-reliance. He highlighted the importance of adopting technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Digitalization to enhance competitiveness and operational excellence. He emphasized the need for sustained investment in research and development and affirmed that collective efforts of all stakeholders will ensure the overall growth and competitiveness of India’s steel industry, contributing significantly to the nation’s progress.

Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma highlighted the vital role of steel in driving infrastructure development and noted that all themes of the Chintan Shivir are directed towards enhancing the industry and strengthening its contribution to national growth.

Shri Hemant Sharma, ACS said Odisha has the unique advantage of being a mineral rich and coastal state making it ideal for setting up and development of various industries including steel.

Shri Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, set the tone of the Shivir by stressing the importance of such platforms to deliberate on developments, challenges and the future of the sector, in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision. He noted that private sector participation alongside CPSEs will help share best practices, while highlighting India’s unique growth in steel consumption driven by infrastructure spending. He also stressed on the need of adoption of new technologies in CPSEs and encouraged that efforts must be led by the in-house talent. He encouraged the young executives to share their experiences. For this purpose, an internal competition was also conducted and the best ones were given the opportunity to present their innovative ideas. 

The first day of the Shivir featured sessions on technology-driven innovation, operational excellence, indigenous technologies and modern mining methods, with discussions focusing on upgrading infrastructure, expanding capacity and ensuring efficiency across the sector. The deliberations brought together perspectives from policymakers, industry leaders and technical experts, aimed at shaping a strategic roadmap for the industry. The Chintan Shivir will continue tomorrow with sessions on long-term strategies, stakeholder collaboration and actionable outcomes to reinforce the steel sector’s role in driving India’s economic growth and industrial advancement.

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AG