Need to increase steel production: Mohan G Kumar

He added it should be done without causing damage to environment

A top official of the Union Steel Ministry today underlined the need for increasing steel production in the country.

"It is necessary to add steel production capacities in the country as the economy is projected to grow at seven to eight per cent over the next decade," Steel Secretary, Mohan G Kumar said here.

However, it should be done without causing damage to environment, he said.

Kumar was addressing a seminar on Sinter Heat Recovery power plant (Indo-Japan model project) at Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), the corporate entity of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant here.

While praising RINL for its performance, Kumar said RINL has faced many adversities as it had no captive iron ore mines.

Inspite of this disadvantage, the Vizag plant performed very well for the last several years, he said.

The official said that efforts are on to acquire captive iron ore mines for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant apart from the mine already sanctioned in Rajasthan.

Also, the Centre will announce a new steel policy in due course as presently we are following the one of 2005.

To a question, he said the disinvestment of RINL (proposed 10 per cent) will be done in the current year.

Earlier, the Steel Secretary inaugurated the upgraded Blast Furnace -1 (Godavari) and Sinter Heat Recovery Power Plant (SHRPP) of 20.6 MW at the plant site here today.

The volume of the Blast Furnace-1 is being increased from 3,200 cu m to 3,800 cu m by introducing copper cooling plates and latest generation cast iron cooling plates in the place of existing normal cast iron cooling plates.

Chairman and Managing Director of RINL, P Madhusudan said the steel industry is energy intensive and accounts for about 4-5 percent of total greenhouse gases.

To combat climate change, a paradigm shift is required from an economy dependent on fossil fuels to an economy powered by renewable energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, he said.

There is a dire need for the steel industry to focus its efforts in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and associated global warming phenomenon. Emission reduction would not only help in combating climate change, but also facilitate in reducing the cost of steel making, the MD added.

VSP is one of the highest waste energy recovery plants in the country.