Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 2: The government has reinforced its steel quality regulations, making it mandatory for all steel products covered under the Steel Quality Control Order (QCO) to be manufactured with a BIS license applicable to both domestic and foreign producers exporting to India. So far, 151 Indian Standards have been notified under the QCO, covering carbon steel, alloy steel, and stainless steel.

To streamline the process, the online portal for NOC applications has been integrated with the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS), allowing importers to register and submit required details on a single platform for products not covered under the QCO. This move is aimed at enhancing ease of business in the sector.

As a deregulated industry, steel production and pricing are influenced by factors such as capacity, demand-supply dynamics, and market forces. The National Steel Policy (NSP) 2017 aims to establish a technologically advanced and globally competitive steel industry, including support for small and medium steel producers.

To drive sustainable and high-quality steel production, the ministry of steel has introduced several initiatives:

• PLI scheme for specialty steel: Encourages domestic production of high-grade steel by attracting investments and fostering technological advancements.
• National green hydrogen mission: Under this initiative, the ministry has launched pilot projects to use hydrogen in steel production—one to produce Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) using 100% hydrogen and another to integrate hydrogen into blast furnaces to reduce coal and coke consumption.

Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries, Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, provided these updates in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on April 2.