Bhubaneswar, November 20 (IANS). A two-day brainstorming session inaugurated on Thursday at Mayfair Convention, Bhubaneswar, sparked an in-depth dialogue on the future of the Indian steel industry. This program was inaugurated by Union Steel Minister HD. Kumaraswamy did it. Minister of State for Steel Bhupathiraju Srinivas Verma, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Industries Department of Odisha Hemant Sharma and Secretary, Ministry of Steel Sandeep Poundrick were also present on the occasion.
Senior officials of the Ministry as well as heads of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) like SAIL, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), MOIL, MECON, Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTC), field experts from INSDAG, ISCA, BISAG and representatives of private industries like Tata Steel, JSW also participated in the deliberations.
HD. Kumaraswamy expressed gratitude for the strategic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has led the domestic steel industry on the path of resilience and growth. He underlined the important role of the steel sector in nation building and reiterated the government’s commitment to capacity building, fostering innovation and promoting self-reliance.
He highlighted the importance of adopting technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and digitalization to enhance competitiveness and operational excellence. He stressed the need for continued investment in research and development and said that collective efforts of all stakeholders will ensure proper growth and competitiveness of the country’s steel industry, thereby contributing significantly to the progress of the nation.
Highlighting the important role of steel in infrastructure development, Bhupathiraju Srinivas Varma said that all the topics of the Chintan Shivir are directed towards growing the industry and strengthening its contribution to national development.
Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma said Odisha has the unique advantage of being a mineral-rich and coastal state, which makes it ideal for setting up and development of various industries, including steel.
Sandeep Poundrick, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, launched the camp by emphasizing the importance of such forums to discuss the growth, challenges and future of the sector, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Modi. He said participation of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) as well as the private sector will help in sharing best practices.
He highlighted the country’s unprecedented growth in steel consumption driven by infrastructure spending. He also stressed the need for adoption of new technologies in Central Public Sector Enterprises and encouraged that these efforts should be led by internal talent. He encouraged the young officers to share their experiences. An internal competition was also organized for this purpose and the best participants were given an opportunity to present their new ideas.
Sessions on technology-driven innovation, operational excellence, indigenous technologies and modern mining methods were conducted on the first day of the camp. These included discussions on upgrading infrastructure, capacity expansion and ensuring efficiency across the sector. The deliberations brought together perspectives from policy makers, industrialists and technical experts with the aim of formulating a strategic action plan for the industry. The brainstorming camp will also continue on Friday, with sessions on long-term strategies, stakeholder collaboration and implementable outcomes to strengthen the role of the steel sector in driving the economic growth and industrial advancement of the country.
–IANS
SK/ABM