New Delhi: Union Steel Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan Thursday held a meeting with officials of his department to discuss a road map for developing a steel hub in Odisha.
“I met with steel industry stakeholders and senior officials of the ministry to chart out a road map for setting up a steel hub in Odisha. The state of Odisha is amongst the richest mineral bearing states of the country. So we are considering setting up a steel hub there,” he said.
Last month, Pradhan and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik discussed ways to enhance the state’s footprints in the steel sector. According to officials of the steel ministry, today’s development was probably a follow up of that interactions between Odisha chief minister and Union steel minister.
They also said that the development assumes significance in the wake of presence of major steel producers, such as Tata Steel, Steel Authority of India Ltd, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, in the state.
The minister also said he also had a detailed discussion with stakeholders of the secondary steel sector on overcoming challenges faced by the industry such as availability of raw materials, expiry of mining lease to enable them to ramp up production.
Pradhan earlier said that the Union government is committed to developing the mineral-rich state as an international hub for steel sector’s ancillary industries.. To recall while taking the charge of the ministry on May 31, Pradhan said it will remain a priority sector for the government.
“I have been given the duty to look after the steel sector by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All my efforts will be to fulfill that responsibility. Steel is a strong pillar of development. We have to take this pillar to new heights,” the minister, who belongs to Odisha, had said.
Minister of State for Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste, Steel Secretary Binoy Kumar and Join Secretary Puneet Kansal were also among those attended the meeting.