Elaborating on the challenges before the steel industry, he said, the other thrust areas include production of ‘Green Steel’ and ensuring ‘Zero Accidents’ in operations. The Steel Minister enumerated the efforts being made by Government of India to promote the steel sector and ensure raw material security for the domestic steel industry.
Speaking about the role played by the Ministry in the development of the nation, he said, the steel industry has the potential to be a catalyst of growth in the future and lead to progress of the nation in the times to come.
On the occasion, he felicitated Shri S. Ranganathan with the Lifetime Achievement award, Shri Sadhan Kumar Roy with the National Metallurgist (Industry) award and Prof. K. Bhanu Sankara Rao with the National Metallurgist (Research & Academia) award. Metallurgist of the Year, Young Metallurgist of the year and Certificate of Excellence were also presented by the Steel Minister. He announced that Bhilai Steel Plant of SAIL and Visakhapatnam Steel Plant of RINL had bagged the Steel Minister’s Trophies for the year for the year 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively.
The Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Shri D.R.S. Chaudhary, Chairman, SAIL, Shri C.S. Verma, officials of IIM and eminent persons from the metal and steel industry were also present on the occasion.