Raipur, Jan 13 (IANS): The Bhilai Steel Plant, the flagship unit of India's largest public sector steel maker, Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), has won the prestigious Prime Minister's Trophy for the 10th time, a statement said Friday.

The plant, which is based in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, some 30 km west of capital Raipur, has an annual production capacity of over 5 million tonnes.

"The government of India has said in an announcement that Bhilai Steel Plant would receive the PM's Trophy for year 2009-10 from the prime minister at a function in New Delhi to be held March 20 this year," a plant statement said.

The award, which comprises a cash element of Rs.2 crore, is given to integrated steel plants (ISPs) on the basis of an evaluation by a panel of judges appointed every year.

The Prime Minister's Trophy is awarded to an ISP for its overall performance, customer satisfaction index and observations by the panel of judges based on plant visits.