Question : REQUIREMENT OF IRON-ORE

(a) whether the Government has made any estimates of the total requirement of iron-ore in the country during the Eleventh Five Year Plan keeping in view the demands from the domestic industry;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Geological Survey of India has conducted any survey about the total iron-ore deposits in the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the target fixed for mapping and exploration of iron-ore, State-wise;

(e) the details of the iron-ore being extracted and produced in the country during the current year, State-wise;

(f) whether the present availability of iron-ore in the country is not sufficient to meet the domestic demand; and

(g) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto?

THE MINISTER OF MINES(SHRI SIS RAM OLA)

(a) to (g): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO STARRED QUESTION NO. 352 TO BE ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON THE 23RD DECEMBER, 2008 REGARDING REQUIREMENT OF IRON-ORE

(a)& (b): The Steel production in the year 2007-08 was reported at 53.90 million tonnes, with an estimated iron ore consumption of 80 million tonnes. The Working Group on Steel Industry for the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2011) has estimated that the total requirement of iron ore in the country will be 130 million tonnes by 2011-12.

(c) & (d): Geological Survey of India (GSI) had been carrying out exploration for iron ore upto 1982-83 field season, and it again resumed its exploration for iron ore in field season of 1997-98. Currently in field season 2007-08, GSI is carrying out regional exploration for iron-ore in the states of Jharkhand (West Singhbhum district), Orissa (Kendujhar district), Karnataka (Bellary and Gadag districts), Tamil Nadu (Namakkal district) Chattisgarh (Kanker district) and Rajasthan (Jaipur, Sikar, Dhausa, Jhunjhunnu and Alwar districts). During the XIth Plan, GSI proposes to extend its exploration activities for iron-ore in the states of Andhra Pradesh (Anantapur district), Madhya Pradesh(Jabalpur, Katni, Sidhi, Gwalior and Shivpuri districts), Maharashtra (Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts) and Chattishgarh (Durg district).

(e): State-wise production of iron ore during the current year (from April 2008 to September 2008) is given below:

State Production (in `000` tonnes)

Goa 12413

Andhra Pradesh 4585

Chhattisgarh 13483

Jharkhand 9992

Karnataka 25070

Madhya Pradesh 677

Maharashtra 252

Orissa 35095

Rajasthan 10
(f): No, Sir.

(g): Does not arise in view of (f) above.