'Need big steel projects in eastern India for 300 MT capacity'

Mega steel projects need to be set up in states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha to take the country's production capacity of the metal to 300 million tonnes (MT) in a decade, the Steel Ministry has said.
"For realising the national mission of having steel capacity of 300 MT by 2025-26, an additional steel production capacity of 176 MT per annum in eastern sector (Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, parts of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh) and about 26 MTPA in rest of India is required," says a document prepared by Steel Ministry.
This would generate 3.15 lakh direct employments, it said.

The document has projected "huge direct and indirect employment opportunities to the tune of approximately 3,15,000 and 12,62,000, respectively," from large steel complexes, associated social infrastructure facilities and ancillary industries.
It said setting up of mega steel projects in a place give fillip to the all round development of the area and overall business and industrial climate is raised by the growth of ancillary units in both manufacturing sectors like power generation and foundry and service sectors such as consultancy, education and health.
The government has also sought suggestions from various stakeholders, including industry representatives, on its report.
Last year, it was decided in a high-level meeting that push will be given towards creating domestic manufacturing capabilities in advanced materials, alloys and composites and also treble the country's steel production capacity to 300 MT by 2025.

At present, the country's crude capacity for steel production is 96 MT per annum.