Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today laid the foundation stone for the Rs. 11,000-crore modernisation and expansion project of the Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). At the push of a button, the plaque bearing the inscription of the historic occasion was unveiled before a 10,000-strong enthusiastic gathering of the people of Bokaro Steel City. The PM also unveiled a monument of four steelmen holding aloft the well-known symbol of SAIL atop an open book symbolising the start of a new chapter in the life of BSL. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the electrification of 10 villages of Bokaro district under the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme by pushing a button to start power supply on line in two villages ÔÇô Obra and Pordag.
This modernisation and expansion programme will enhance the Plant's capacity for Hot Metal production from the present 4.585 MTPA to 7.44 MTPA, that of Crude Steel from 4.36 MTPA to 7 MTPA and of Saleable Steel from 3.78 MTPA to 6.53 MTPA by the year 2010. The programme consists of greenfield projects for a new Steel Melting Shop of 3.8 MTPA and a new Cold Rolling Mill of 1.8 MTPA. In addition, the existing facilities in the Coke Ovens, Sinter Plant, Blast Furnaces, Steel Melting Shop-II, Hot Strip Mill and Cold Rolling Mill will be modernisation to enhance capacity, efficiency and productivity. Support facilities of ore handling, traffic, power generation, Oxygen production etc will also be augmented to support the enhanced production capacity of the plant.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister commended the contribution of SAIL in nation building. He reminisced about the epithet of Temple of Modern India given to Bokaro by the first Prime Minister or India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and called Bokaro a symbol of self reliance. He described steel as a rising sector and expressed hope that many projects would come up to augment the availability of steel and also create new job opportunities. Dwelling on the immense potential of Jharkhand, Dr. Manmohan Singh talked about a number of infrastructure development projects being taken up in the state and the significant fund outlay for these projects.
The historic occasion was witnessed by His Excellency the Governor of Jharkhand Shri Syed Sibtey Razi, Chief Minister of the State Shri Madhu Kora, Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Steel Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister of State for Food Processing (Independent Charge) Shri Subodh Kant Sahay, Union Minister of State for Steel Shri Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, MP and Chairman, UPA Steering Committee (Jharkhand) Shri Shibu Soren, Secretary, Steel Shri RS Pandey, Chairman, SAIL Shri Sushil Kumar Roongta and Managing Director of SAIL's Bokaro Steel Plant Shri VK Srivastava on the dais, while other directors of SAIL and top officials of state and district administration were present in the audience.
Union Steel Minister Shri Paswan heaped fulsome praise on SAIL for its all round achievements in production, efficiency and profitability and excellent work in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility. Referring to the National Steel Policy and the ambitious plans of the Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India, he urged the Government of Jharkhand to support the plans of SAIL towards expanding steel production capacity in India, especially Jharkhand. He reiterated the commitment of the Steel Ministry and SAIL to establish a 12 MTPA steel plant in the state, which would not only increase the availability of steel in a major way, but also create significant opportunities of employment generation.
Chief Minister Shri Madhu Kora praised the contribution of Bokaro Steel in the development of the state of Jharkhand and assured that the state government would support the expansion plans of the company.
As a token of remembrance for the occasion, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Shri Roongta and Shri Srivastava presented a memento to the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister inaugurates expansion modernisation programme of SAIL's Bokaro Steel Plant
PM Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurating Bokaro Steel Plant's expansion and modernisation programme on 22.4.08. Seen in the picture with him are His Excellency the Governor of Jharkhand Shri Syed Sibtey Razi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Madhu Kora, Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Steel Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister of State for Food Processing (Independent Charge) Shri Subodh Kant Sahay, Union Minister of State for Steel Shri Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, MP and Chairman, UPA Steering Committee (Jharkhand) Shri Shibu Soren and Secretary (Steel), Govt of India Shri RS Pandey, SAIL Chairman Shri Sushil Kumar Roongta and Bokaro Steel Plant Managing Director Shri VK Srivastava
Prime Minister inaugurates expansion modernisation programme of SAIL's Bokaro Steel Plant
PM Dr. Manmohan Singh receiving a memento of the occasion from Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Steel Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, SAIL Chairman Shri Sushil Kumar Roongta and Bokaro Steel Plant Managing Director Shri VK Srivastava. Others in the picture include His Excellency the Governor of Jharkhand Shri Syed Sibtey Razi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Madhu Kora, Union Minister of State for Food Processing (Independent Charge) Shri Subodh Kant Sahay, Union Minister of State for Steel Shri Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, MP and Chairman, UPA Steering Committee (Jharkhand) Shri Shibu Soren and Secretary (Steel), Govt of India Shri RS Pandey
