New Delhi: Union Minister for Steel Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a video conferencing with officials from his own, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Railways, and INSDAG, SAIL (Steel Authority of India Ltd) and steel fabricators from Bhilai to work out a detailed plan for developing a steel fabrication cluster around the Bhilai Steel Plant. Issues faced by bridge fabricators in meeting their steel requirements were also discussed during the meeting. The meeting comes as India is now slowly trying to restart economic activity and ease lockdown restrictions in areas where COVID-19 spread is not widespread.
"The steel fabrication cluster envisaged will give a boost to the MSME sector in the region, facilitate employment generation and give impetus to the local economy. This is line with the spirit of Honorable Prime Minister's call for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat," SAIL said in an official release.
Pradhan directed the CEO of Bhilai Steel Plant to ensure that the steel plate requirement of steel fabricators in Durg district is fully met and any restrictive condition coming in the way of such procurement is removed. Pradhan also discussed strategies for enhancing steel usage in the bridges constructed by the Road Transport Ministry on lines with Railways, which is using steel bridges on a very large scale.
Steel fabrication is the process that is used to manufacture components out of steel, and when finished, it can be used to create a framework. It can be used to construct a wide variety of structural shapes, sizes for construction work.
In April, the ISA (Indian Steel Association) revised downwards India's steel demand growth forecast for 2020, keeping in view the impact COVID-19 pandemic has had on the economy. From 5.1 percent, as per growth predictions made in February this year, the demand figures are expected to touch a low of -7.7 percent, with significant downside risks, the association said.