NOV 19: Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy, visited the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and announced a bold plan to double its production capacity to 9.8 million tonnes by 2030. Calling RSP a “foundation stone of India’s industrial journey,” he highlighted its pivotal role as the country’s first Public Sector Integrated Steel Plant and lauded its six-decade-long contribution to India’s growth.
During his visit, the Minister congratulated the RSP workforce for its significant progress in production, productivity and techno-economic indicators. He inaugurated the state-of-the-art 1 MTPA Slab Caster at Steel Melting Shop-2, built with a capital investment of around ₹1,100 crore. He also reviewed ongoing work at the Coke Oven Battery 7 and the new Pellet Plant, both key additions to the plant’s modernisation agenda.
The Minister noted a strong uptick in raw material supply, with the Odisha Group of Mines recording over 5% growth this year and expected to surpass 15 million tonnes in FY 2025–26. This, he said, would boost RSP’s long-term resource security.
Shri Kumaraswamy announced that RSP’s capacity expansion would involve an investment of about ₹30,000 crore, along with a modernisation package worth ₹9,000 crore to ensure global competitiveness.
He emphasised that the Ministry is working in close coordination with the Odisha Government to ensure smooth execution of these projects. The expansion, he added, will generate employment for local youth, open new opportunities for MSMEs, and strengthen community development across the region.
Linking the initiative to national goals, the Minister reaffirmed India’s target of reaching 300 million tonnes of steel capacity by 2030–31 under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said the RSP expansion would play a crucial role in achieving this vision and in reducing dependence on imports while boosting specialty steel production.
Shri Kumaraswamy concluded that Rourkela is poised to emerge as one of India’s leading steel hubs, delivering economic benefits to Odisha and the nation at large.
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