Prices of steel would be kept at a reasonable level to safeguard the interests of the common man in accordance with the UPA’s Common Minimum Programme. This was resolved by the main steel producers in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Shri R.S. Pandey, Secretary (Steel) last Friday. The decision comes in the wake of an appeal by Union Steel Minister, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan.
As per the resolve, the producers will make available items of common consumption in the rural districts/blocks through their dealer network at the same price as applicable at Metros. Cost of transportation as well as distributors/wholesalers’ margin will be borne by the producers. This would result in relief of about Rs. 600-1000 per tonne to the individual customer in hinterland,. It was further agreed that the concern of the common man will be kept in view by the producers while fixing prices of such items.
All the main producers will adopt villages around their plant and as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR), help develop these villages as model steel villages. Appropriate schemes in the areas of health, education, livelihood promotion through agriculture and or small scale industries will be drawn preferably in conjunction with Government’s development schemes operated in the area. In such endeavours use of steel will specially be made in items such as storage bins, bullock carts, buildings such as school buildings, panchayat halls, health center buildings, water tanks, waiting sheds etc.
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(Release ID :20624)