Expansion and modernisation of plants and mines by SAIL

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) proposed to modernise and expand capacity of its plants and mines, announced the Minister of State for Steel Dr Akhilesh Das in the Lok Sabha today.

In a written reply, the minister said the expansion plan of SAIL for its steel plants targeted an increase in production of hot metal from the present level of 14.6 million tonnes per annum (2006-07) to about 26 million tonnes per annum by the year 2010. Apart from augmenting the production capacity at the plants, the plan also envisaged removal of technological obsolescence, reduction in energy consumption, improvement in product mix, upgradation of pollution control measures and augmentation of infrastructure facilities in all the plants to support higher production.

To meet the enhanced requirement arising from the expansion plans of the steel plants, SAIL had decided to modernise and expand its existing mines at Kiriburu, Meghahataburu, Gua, Bolani and Barsua and develop new mines at Rowghat, Chiria, Taldih and Thakurani, Mr Das said.

He said Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) proposed to expand its capacity to achieve hot metal production of 4.5 million tonnes per annum at an indicative cost of Rs. 7668 crore. The expansion work of RSP was likely to commence by June'2008.

UNI