OREANDA-NEWS. The Minister of State for Steel and Mines, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said that the new National Steel Policy is still in draft stage and has not been finalized so far.  Therefore, no details can be given at this stage.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said that the details relating production and the domestic demand of steel, for the last five years, are as under:-

Production, Import and Export of Finished Steel in 000’ Tonnes

Year

Production for Sale

Import

Export

Net

Imports

Real

Consumption/

Demand

2009 - 10

60624

7382

3251

4131

59339

2010 - 11

68620

6664

3637

3027

66421

2011 - 12

75697

6863

4588

2275

71021

2012 - 13

81681

7925

5368

2557

73482

2013-14(R)

87675

5450

5985

-535

74096

JPC : Annual Statistics various years

The Minister said that Steel is a deregulated sector and hence, decision regarding import of steel is not taken by the Ministry of Steel.  This is decided by the market.

The reasons for import of steel in the country are many and some important ones are:-

·                  Non-availability of certain grades of steel in the country due to quality consideration / non capacity.

·                  Unwillingness of steel plants to put up certain facilities when domestic demand for a grade is low even though the companies are technically capable of producing the same.

·                  Lower prices in the international markets also induce imports.

He said that the impact on steel production of RINL at Visakhapatnam is estimated to be around 2.5 lakh tonnes.