Miscellaneous Schemes/ Initiatives under Ministry of Steel
Mission Purvodaya
(a) Background
The Eastern region of India—Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Northern Andhra Pradesh—has abundant iron ore and coal reserves. Yet, its steel potential has not been fully tapped.
The Government, therefore, launched Mission Purvodaya to transform this region into an Integrated Steel Hub.
(b) Aim
- To enable swift capacity addition in steel production.
- To improve the competitiveness of steel producers in terms of both cost and quality.
- To accelerate industrial development of Eastern India through steel-led growth.
(c) Importance of Eastern Region
- According to the National Steel Policy, by 2030–31 India’s steel capacity should reach 300 Million Tonnes (MT).
- Of this, more than 200 MT (around 75%) can come from Eastern India alone.
- This region is expected to be the driving force of India’s steel growth, especially through Industry 4.0 technologies (automation, digitalization, AI in steel sector).
(d) Core Focus Areas
The Integrated Steel Hub would focus on 3 pillars:
- Capacity Addition → Encourage the setting up of new Greenfield steel plants.
- Development of Steel Clusters → Build clusters near raw material sources and demand centres for efficiency.
- Transformation of Logistics & Utilities Infrastructure → Improve roads, railways, and port connectivity so that steel movement becomes easier, reducing cost and boosting socio-economic growth in the East.
👉 Thus, Mission Purvodaya is not just about producing steel—it is about making Eastern India the engine of India’s steel sector, leading to both industrial and regional development.
Steel Research and Technology Mission of India (SRTMI)
(a) Aim
This initiative focuses on Research and Development (R&D) in steel. While Mission Purvodaya emphasizes capacity expansion, SRTMI emphasizes innovation and technology.
The aims include:
- Promoting R&D of national importance in iron and steel.
- Creating state-of-the-art R&D facilities to strengthen human resources.
- Encouraging collaboration between industry, R&D labs, and academic institutes.
- Building a globally competitive and sustainable steel industry.
(b) Financing
- 50% of the funding will come from the Ministry of Steel,
- The remaining 50% will be contributed by participating companies.
(c) Capacity Building
- Establishment of National Institutes on Steel Technology,
- These institutes will train technical manpower through short-term and long-term courses, ensuring that workers and engineers stay updated with the latest advancements.