THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF (SHRI VISHNU DEO SAI) STEEL AND MINES
(a)&(b): Ministry of Steel is facilitating setting up of an industry driven Steel Research & Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) to address the need of R&D and to promote nationally relevant research programmes in steel sector. SRTMI is proposed to be formed as a registered society in close co-operation among the steel companies, Ministry of Steel, academia and relevant R&D institutions in the country.
According to the available information, the funds utilized for R&D by the steel companies in the Public Sector under Ministry of Steel in the last three years and the current year are given below:-
(Rs. in crore) Steel Company 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15(April-September) SAIL 142.00 156.00 121.00 82.00 RINL 20.29 31.13 50.27 11.74
(c) There have been notable achievements from the R&D programmes pursued by the aforesaid companies during this period which inter-alia covers the following:-
# Raw Materials upgradation,
# Improvement in Process/ Technology, Products and Productivity,
# Development of New products & improvement in Quality, and
# Improvement in Energy consumption & Environment Management.
(d) Measures taken by the Government to increase the R&D in the steel sector:-
# Ministry of Steel has been providing financial assistance from Steel Development Fund (SDF) and Plan Fund.
# Ministry of Steel had published ‘A Roadmap for Research & Development and Technology for Indian Iron & Steel Industry’ in Sept., 2011 with an aim to sensitize the Indian steel industry to improve its technological face through R&D and technology intervention. The Roadmap recommended that major steel companies must increase their R&D investment to 1% of sales turnover by the terminal year of the 12th Five Year Plan (2016-17) and 2% by 2020.
# The Working Group on Steel Industry for Twelfth Five Year Plan had also recommended increasing the R&D investment by the steel companies to 1% of the turnover by the end of the 12th Five Year Plan.
# Ministry of Steel has also advised all main/ major steel companies in the country to enhance their R&D investment as per the above recommendations.
# Ministry of Steel is now facilitating the creation of a new & innovative mechanism viz. Steel Research & Technology Mission of India, to promote joint collaborative research programmes of national importance, which will inter-alia enhance the R&D investment in the sector.
Download PDF Files
