The Central government has prepared a draft framework policy for development of steel clusters in the country that will help to increase production of value-added steel and generate employment.
The draft framework policy aims at facilitating setting up greenfield steel clusters along with development and expansion of the existing steel clusters.
The steel clusters will not only help the country become Atmanirbhar in value-added steel and capital goods, but will also generate employment, especially in the eastern part of the country covering the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh as part of the ‘Purvodaya’ initiative of the Ministry of Steel.
In January 2020, ‘Mission Purvodaya’ was launched which aims at accelerated development of eastern India through integrated steel hubs.
The eastern belt has the potential to add more than 75 percent of the country’s incremental steel capacity envisioned by the National Steel Policy.
It is expected that out of the 300 million tonne capacity by 2030-31, over 200 million tonne can come from this region alone.