The
Minister of Steel, Shri Beni Prasad Verma has said that Government through its
policies has been pursuing adoption of latest technologies for improving
efficiency of Indian steel industry. The report of the Working Group on Steel
Industry for the 12th Five Year Plan, National Steel Policy and
Roadmap for R&D and Technology etc. enlist such measures. The major steel plants in the country have
already embarked upon modernization/expansion programme and are phasing out
obsolete technologies. Further, new/green field steel plants are being set up
with latest world class technologies.
In
a written reply in the Lok Sabha today he said, major steel companies like
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited
(RINL) in the public sector and Tata Steel Limited, JSW Steel Limited, Essar
Steel Limited, Jindal Steel & Power Limited and JSW Ispat Steel Limited in
the private sector are engaged in Research and Development work in the iron and
steel sector in the country.
Shri
Verma said, there have been substantial achievements from the R&D
programmes pursued by the companies during the past which inter-alia covers:
- Raw
Materials upgradation;
- Improvement
in Process/ Technology, Products and Productivity;
- Development
of New products & improvement
in Quality; and
- Improvement
in Energy consumption & Environment Management.
The
Minister said, the total budget allocated and expenditure incurred on research
and development activities during the last three years by the Public Sector
Steel Companies are given hereunder:
(Rs. in crore)
|
|
2009-10
|
2010-11
|
2011-12
|
2012-13
|
|
|
Budget
|
Expenditure
|
Budget
|
Expenditure
|
Budget
|
Expenditure
|
Budget
|
Expenditure*
|
|
SAIL
|
111.00
|
107.00
|
134.00
|
137.00
|
133.00
|
142.00
|
108.00
|
110.00
|
|
RINL
|
12.60
|
12.66
|
14.00
|
14.34
|
14.00
|
20.29
|
14.00
|
23.92
|
* Expenditure of SAIL for 2012-13 is upto
Dec., 2012
Expenditure of RINL for
2012-13 is upto Feb., 2013
A new scheme ‘Promotion
of R&D in Iron & Steel Sector’ was introduced by the Government in the
11th Five Year Plan which has been continued in the 12th
Five Year Plan. Government has allocated Rs. 200 crore on R&D during the 12th
Five Year Plan Period. A New Component is being added in the aforesaid scheme
for development of technology for Cold Rolled Grain
Oriented (CRGO) electrical steel sheets and other value added innovative steel
products, the Minister added.
***
NSK/DB