Paswan promises new steel plant in Bihar

Hajipur, May 13 (UNI) Steel and Fertiliser minister Ram Vilas Paswan has promised to set up the first integrated steel plant in Vaishali district of Bihar soon.

Participating in a health programme, organised by the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) here yesterday, Mr Paswan said the proposed plant would be the first of its kind in Bihar since the Bokaro steel plant had become a part of neighbouring Jharkhand following the creation of the new state a few years ago.

He, however, did not spell out any further detail of his plan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Paswan also announced to set up a medicinal plant within his Parliamentary constituency here to meet the long standing demand of the people for setting up a viable industrial unit in the Vaisali district headquarets.

Elaborating his other plans, including the establishment of a state-of-the-art cardiac hospital here, the Lok Jansakti Party (LJP) chief, however, regretted for not getting enough land from the state government for this purpose.

'' I have already taken up the issue with Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar in New Delhi and he had promised me to allot land at the earliest, '' the Union Minister pointed out and hoped to start the work soon.

Referring to a number of health-related programmes, taken up by SAIL as part of its corporate social responsibility, Mr Paswan said many more such programmes would be organised in different parts of the country, where leading doctors would take part.

SAIL Chairman S K Rungta and Bokaro Steel Plant Managing Director B K Srivastava were also present on the occasion.

UNI