Question : R & D IN IRON AND STEEL SECTOR

(a) whether the public and the private sector iron and steel companies are engaged in the Research and Development (R&D) activities in the iron and steel sector;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the major achievements made by these companies during the last three years and the current year;

(c) the total budgetary allocation earmarked for that purpose for the Eleventh Five Year Plan period along with the total funds allocated and the expenditure incurred so far during the said period;

(d) whether any new scheme for the R&D in the steel sector is proposed to be included in the Twelfth Five Year Plan by the Government; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STEEL(SHRI BENI PRASAD VERMA)

(a)to(e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the Lok Sabha.

STATEMENT REFFERED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.231 FOR ANSWER ON 10/12/2012 TABLED BY SHRI BHAKTA CHARAN DAS, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING R&D IN IRON AND STEEL SECTOR.

(a) Yes, Madam.

(b) The following major steel companies in the public and private sector are engaged in Research and Development work in the iron and steel sector in the country: Public Sector Companies

(i) Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)

(ii) Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)

Private Sector Companies

i) Tata Steel Limited

ii) JSW Steel Limited

iii) Essar Steel Limited

iv) Jindal Steel & Power Limited

v) JSW Ispat Steel Limited

There have been substantial achievements from the R&D programmes pursued by the companies during the past in the following areas:

# Raw Materials upgradation,

# Improvement in Process/ Technology, Products and Productivity,

# Development of New products & improvement in Quality, and

# Improvement in Energy consumption & Environment Management.

(c) There are two R&D Schemes in the Ministry of Steel namely, R&D with Plan Fund and R&D with Steel Development Fund (SDF). In the first Scheme, total budgetary allocation for the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-08 to 2011-12) was Rs. 118 crore. Against this, total funds allocated was Rs. 89.50 Crore (Revised Estimate), out of which actual expenditure was Rs. 40.81 Crore. In the SDF Scheme, Rs. 52.32 crore has been spent during the said period.

(d)&(e): During the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-13 to 2016-17), the Planning Commission has allocated Rs. 200 crore for Research & Development in the Iron & Steel Sector.