Govt faces uphill task for 300 mt steel output target

The battle for land rights across the nation has stalled many steel projects

The draft National Steel Policy has set a target of 300 million tonnes (mt) capacity by 2030, which would require 91,000 acres additional land.

The policy — put up on the ministry website for public viewing — acknowledges that land requirement is based on greenfield expansion. The draft mentions the growth plans of Indian steel industry, which has been hindered by difficulties in land acquisition and many projects are stuck due to policy and procedural issues. To achieve the target, therefore, the ministry plans to coordinate with the state governments to ensure timely availability of litigation-free lands to the industries.

Sanak Mishra,