The government of India has prepared a draft framework policy for the development of steel clusters in the country, which will help increase production of value-added steel and generate employment, Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed the Lok Sabha during a session.     

The draft framework policy aims at facilitating setting up of greenfield steel clusters along with development and expansion of existing steel clusters, said Pradhan in response to a question, as per media reports.

The minister further said the steel clusters will not only help the country become “Atmanirbhar in value-added steel” and capital goods, but would also generate employment, especially in the eastern part of the country covering the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh as part of the ‘Purvodaya’ initiative of the Ministry of Steel.

In January 2020, the minister had launched “Mission Purvodaya” which aims at accelerated development of eastern India through integrated steel hubs. The eastern belt has the potential to add more than 75 percent of the country’s incremental steel capacity envisioned by the National Steel Policy, Pradhan had noted while launching the mission.

He said it is expected that out of the 300 million tonne capacity by 2030-31, over 200 million tonnes could come from this region alone.