Pradhan discusses plan with officials to develop steel fabrication cluster in Bhilai

Minister of Steel, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to work out a detailed plan for developing a steel fabrication cluster around the Bhilai Steel Plant and discuss the issues faced by the bridge fabricators in meeting their steel requirements.

The meeting, which was held through video conferencing, was attended by officials from the Ministry of Steel, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Railways, Institute for Steel Development and Growth (INSDAG), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and steel fabricators from Bhilai.

According to an official statement, Pradhan directed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bhilai Steel Plant to ensure the steel plate requirement of steel fabricators in Durg district is fully met and any restrictive conditions coming in the way of such procurement should be removed.

"The steel fabrication cluster envisaged will give a boost to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector in the region, facilitate employment generation and give impetus to the local economy," the statement quoted Pradhan as saying.

Pradhan also discussed the strategy of enhancing steel usage in the bridges constructed by the Ministry of Road Transport Highways (MoRTH) on lines with the Railways, which is using steel bridges on a very large scale.

( With inputs from ANI )