Question : STEEL PLANTS IN INDIA

(a) the number of profitable steel plants in the country, State-wise;

(b) whether certain steel plants have been declared sick or have been closed down due to the losses incurred by them;

(c) if so, the details thereof alongwith the efforts made/being made by the Government for their revival;

(d) whether the Government proposes to set up new steel plants across the backward regions of the country including the State of Uttar Pradesh;

(e) if so, the details thereof alongwith the time frame within which these are likely to be set up; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STEEL (SHRI BENI PRASAD VERMA)

(a) to (c): No such data is maintained by Ministry of Steel. Steel being a deregulated sector, the detailed strategy regarding physical and financial matters of the projects are decided by the individual investors themselves on the basis of commercial prudence. An Inter-Ministerial Group has been set up in the Ministry for monitoring and coordinating on the issues concerning major steel investments.

(d) to (f): NMDC Ltd., a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of Ministry of Steel, is setting up a 3 Million tonne per annum Greenfield Integrated Steel Plant at Nagarnar, Bastar District in Chhattisgarh. The commissioning of the Plant is expected by 2014-15.