MRAI to discuss policy for metal recycling with Steel Min

The Metal Recycling Association of India (MRAI) is organising a conference later this week to discuss issues like absence of a policy for the domestic metal recycling industry, its President Sanjay Mehta said.
Over 1,000 delegates, including Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh, Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, senior government officials and industry members will attend the two-day International Indian Metals Recycling conference beginning January 18, 2017 in Goa, MRAI said.
Sunil Bhartwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel and V K Saraswat, Member of Niti Aayog, will also be present.
MRAI represents over 700 members of the country's ferrous and non-ferrous metals recycling industry.

"Introducing policy (for metal recycling industry) in India is very much needed. Initially, I am sure government will not put stringent norms and standards on recycling of scrap, but as we are a developing country, we expect the government to implement norms and standards at par with that existing in developed countries like the US, UK and Europe, gradually," he said.
Ferrous and non-ferrous scrap trade is being hit in India as "at present GST on scrap trade is 18 per cent on all grades of metal scrap", he added.

Sharing his expectations from the upcoming Union Budget, he said the industry expects the government to take concrete steps to boost the recycling industry by removing customs duty on import of various grades of metal scrap.

Secondary metals sector contributes more than 50 per cent of India's total steel production, he said.
About 40 per cent of the sector is organised, he added.
"We need government support to make the rest organised so that it will be very beneficial for the trade as well as the personnel involved...," he added.