The Hindu Business Line : Institute will promote use of steel in rural areas

Metal innovation
Banks approached to provide loans for initiatives.
Cost of steel bullock carts pegged at Rs 10,000-15,000.
Institute to promote steel for bridges, housing, health centres.
Domestic steel production slated to go up to 60 mt by 2011-12.

Kolkata April 29 The Institute for Steel Development & Growth (INSDAG) has taken upon itself the onus of promoting increased usage of steel in rural India.

Speaking to Business Line, Dr R.K.P. Singh, Director General of INSDAG, an institution jointly promoted by the Ministry of Steel and steel producers, said the National Steel Policy had outlined that per capita steel consumption in rural India should go up from 2 kg at present to 4 kg by 2019-20.

To facilitate this, INSDAG had taken several initiatives. These include the introduction of steel bullock carts in villages and facilitating increased usage of steel in rural housing and rural construction.

In fact, INSDAG, in association with Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur, has developed steel bullock cart models whose minimum durability has been pegged at around 20 years. "We want to encourage innovative ways of steel consumption in rural areas. Steel companies have been persuaded to sponsor steel bullock carts. We have also convinced some banks to provide loans for the purpose. Non-government organisations and the Khadi & Village Industries Corporation have been involved in the initiative," Dr Singh said.

He added that 250 farmers from Aska in Orissa have placed orders for steel bullock carts for transporting sugarcane from the fields to the sugar mills in the region. The cost of these steel bullock carts have been pegged in the Rs 10,000-15,000 range and they are stated to be more durable compared with bullock carts made of bamboo or wood.

Design manuals

According to him, some steel companies have come forward to sponsor "showcase models" of specially-designed steel houses for villages. Besides, the Union Ministry of Rural Development has assigned INSDAG to develop design manuals for rural culverts and bridges where steel could be used. The central Government is also planning to set up a large number of health centres in rural India where steel can be used.

According to the National Steel Policy, domestic steel production is slated to go up to 60 million tonnes — from about 46 million tonnes at present — by 2011-12 and further to 100 million tonnes by 2019-20. "While we feel this target could be surpassed, for it to happen, it would be imperative to focus on increased steel consumption in rural areas. Increased steel consumption in rural areas will also improve the quality of life of people living there," Dr Singh said.

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