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SAIL Ltd is expected to complete the Rs 16,000-crore modernisation and expansion of IISCO Steel Plant (ISP) at Burnpur in West Bengal by the end of this fiscal.
The project is part of the Rs 72,000-crore expansion to shore up total capacity to 24 mt.
IISCO at present produces 0.2 million tonnes (mt) of hot metal annually, against a nameplate capacity of 0.78 mt. After expansion, the hot metal production will increase to 2.5 mt a year. The total hot metal capacity of the company is slated to move up from 14 mt to 19 mt during the fiscal.
“We are hopeful of commissioning the (IISCO) project by end of this fiscal,” Mr C. S. Verma, Chairman and Managing Director, told reporters at Writers' Buildings on Friday, following signing of a memorandum of understanding for a proposed joint venture with Burn Standard Company Ltd.
The commissioning of the IISCO project had been delayed due to prolonged agitation from a section of evictees who had refused to relocate a deity (Jhorabudi) from the site, as SAIL was not accepting their demand for jobs.
“Nearly Rs 13,000 crore have been spent on modernisation and we are opening the project in a phase-wise manner,” he added.
According to Mr Verma, SAIL was also planning to “make ready” its two other projects in the State, that include the expansion of the Durgapur and Alloy steel plants, by the end of this fiscal.
Projects in State
He further added that the steel-maker was planning to set up a specialised alloy steel plant in the Kulti near Burnpur. SAIL would invest Rs 6,000 to 7,000 crore in setting up the 1.2 million tonne plant.
“Things are yet to be finalised,” he said. Alloy steel, he said, would find usage in defence requirements.
abhishek.l@thehindu.co.in
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