The Hindu Business Line : Steel: National research mission proposed

Kolkata June 22 In what is stated to be a "unique public-private partnership (PPP) model" aimed at promoting research and development (R&D) in the steel sector, it has been proposed to set up a National Research Mission (NRM) for the domestic steel industry.

The proposed NRM, which will have a corpus of Rs 50-60 crore, is expected to "get going" within the next three months, according to Mr R.S. Pandey, Secretary in the Union Ministry of Steel.

In an interview with Business Line here on Friday, Mr Pandey said the decision to set up the NRM was taken earlier this month at a meeting that was attended by all major public and private sector steel producers in the country, including SAIL, Tatas, Jindals and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd.

It was felt that, keeping in view the huge capacity expansion plans for the domestic steel sector, and the investments that would be made towards this end, it would be naïve to neglect R&D.

"We need R&D with regard to technology requirements, raw materials, processes, product diversification, improvement in productivity, energy efficiency, etc. These are the broad areas where in-depth R&D is necessary," he said.

Producers' role

According to Mr Pandey, the Government would only provide a "facilitative framework" for setting up the proposed NRM, even as the steel producers had agreed to contribute towards the corpus of the mission.

The proposed NRM would be set up in "virtual mode under which no new institution will be set up and facilities in existing institutions will be leveraged to promote R&D in the steel sector".

Mr Pandey said steel producers who contribute to the corpus of the NRM would be members of its Governing Council. "Such a unique PPP model to promote R&D in the steel sector is very much needed, especially in the context of the growing production and demand for steel in the country. It will also go a long way in providing a fillip to India's efforts to become the second-largest steel producer in the world by 2015-16, from seventh-largest at present,'' he said.

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