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A Parliamentary panel has deplored the Steel Ministry for failing to accord required attention on research and development (R&D) activities for the betterment of the sector.
“The committee deplores the lackadaisical approach of the Ministry in not according utmost importance to R&D schemes, approval to all the projects and timely measures for their time-bound competition,” the Parliamentary panel observed.
The Planning Commission had approved a Rs 118-crore scheme to promote and accelerate R&D activities for the development of key raw materials in the iron and steel sector for the entire 11th Plan period (2007-12).
“The committee finds that out of the eight R&D projects of national importance, only four projects costing Rs 33.41 crore have been approved so far by the Ministry and a meagre amount of Rs 4.41 crore as the first instalment has been released,” the committee said.
“Balance amount will be released as per the requirement of the project. The remaining four projects are at different stages of examination,” it added.
Observing that no expenditure had been incurred on any research activities in the first two years of the Plan period, the panel had earlier suggested the Steel Ministry to take necessary corrective measures to ensure gainful utilisation of the fund.
Following this, the Steel Ministry submitted eight R&D projects costing around Rs 134.64 crore, of which Plan fund component is Rs 110 crore.
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