iron and steel industry

1. INDIAN ECONOMICS
ASSIGNMENT
NAME – PANTH BAGGA
COURSE - BCOM(HONORS)
SEMESTER - IV SEMESTER
SUBMITTED TO - MEETA MAM

2. IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY
We live essentially in an age of iron and steel. “Because of its hardness, strength and durability,
because of the ease with which it can be cast and worked into any desired shape and because
of its remarkable cheapness under modem methods of production, iron is the most important
and widely used metal in the service of man”.
INTRODUCTION:
As of October 2021, India was the world’s second-largest producer of crude steel, with an
output of 9.8 MT. In FY21, the production of crude steel and finished steel stood a 102.49 MT
and 94.66 MT, respectively. In FY22, crude steel production in India is estimated to increase by
18%, to reach 120 million tonnes, driven by rising demand from customers. The growth in the
Indian steel sector has been driven by domestic availability of raw materials such as iron ore
and cost-effective labour. Consequently, the steel sector has been a major contributor to
India’s manufacturing output.
The Indian steel industry is modern with state-of-the-art steel mills. It has always strived for
continuous modernisation of older plants and up-gradation to higher energy efficiency levels.
Indian steel industry is classified into three categories - major producers, main producers and
secondary producers.
HISTORY:
Although Indians are known for their technique of smelting iron since early time, the first iron
and steel unit on modem lines was established in 1830 at Porto Nova in Tamil Nadu. However,
it could not succeed and was closed down in 1866. The other efforts made during the second
half of the 19th century also met with the same fate.
The real beginning of modem iron and steel industry was made in 1907 only when Tata Iron
and Steel Company (TISCO) were set up at Jamshedpur (Sakchi at that time). The Indian Iron
and Steel Company (IISCO) were set up in 1919 at Bumpur followed by the setting up of
Mysore Steel Works at Bhadravati (now Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Works) in 1923.
Iron and steel Industry witnessed rapid growth after Independence. India produced 16.9 lakh
tonnes of pig iron in. 1950-51. The development of iron and steel industry was envisaged
during the first Five-Year Plan, but it was during the Second Five-Year Plan that the three
integrated steel projects were started at Bhilai, Rourkela and Durgapur.
Growth and development of the Iron and Steel industry:
Indians are known for the art of smelting iron in early times example Mehrauli pillar. But first
Iron and steel industry unit on modern lines was set up in 1830 at Porto-Nova (Tamil Nadu) but
was not successful. Other attempts in the second half of the 19th century met the same fate.

3. The real beginning of Iron and steel industry was in 1907 with setting up of TISCO plant at
Jamshedpur. It was set up in the confluence of Subarnarekha and Kharkai rivers in 1907. Since
then, Indian iron and steel industry made a great stride to reach its present stage.
The Indian Iron and Steel Company (IISCO) were set up in 1919 at Burnpur followed by the
setting up of Mysore Steel Works at Bhadravati (now Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Works) in
1923.
Rapid growth after independence:
The development of Iron and Steel industry was envisaged during first five year plan (FYP), but
it was during second FYP that three integrated projects were started at Bhilai (with erstwhile
USSR technical and financial support), Rourkela (with Germany assistance) and Durgapur (with
U.K assistance)
During third FYP, Bokaro steel plant was started (production started in 1972)
Three more Steel plants planned during fourth FYP was started to meet the requirement of
steel. These plants were:
 Salem Iron and Steel Plant in Tamil Nadu
 Vizag Iron and Steel Plant in Andhra Pradesh
 Vijayanagar Iron and Steel Plant (Hospet district in Karnataka)
Steel Authority of India (SAIL) Established in 1973, SAIL is a government undertaking and is
responsible for the management of steel plants at Bhilai, Durgapur, Rourkela, Bokaro and
Bumpur and also the Alloy Steel Plant at Durgapur and Salem Steel Plant.
The management of Indian Iron and Steel was taken over by Government on 14th July, 1976.
Visweswaraya Iron and Steel Limited were also taken over by SAIL in August 1989.
Some of the major problems faced by Indian iron and steel industry are as
follows:
1. Capital:
Iron and steel industry requires large capital investment which a developing country like India
cannot afford. Many of the public sector integrated steel plants have been established with the
help of foreign aid.
2. Lack of Technology:
Throughout the 1960s and upto the oil crisis in mid-1970s, Indian steel industry was
characterised by a high degree of technological efficiency. This technology was mainly from
abroad. But during the following two decades after the oil crisis, steep hike in energy costs and
escalation of costs of other inputs, reduced the margin of profit of the steel plants.

4. This resulted in lower levels of investment in technological developments. Consequently, the
industry lost its technology edge and is now way behind the advanced countries in this regard.
Material value productivity in India is still very low.
3. Low Productivity:
The per capita labour productivity in India is at 90-100 tonnes which is one of the lowest in the
world. The labour productivity in Japan, Korea and some other major steel producing countries
is about 600-700 tonnes per man per year.
At Gallatin Steel a mini mill in the U.S. there are less than 300 employees to produce 1.2 million
tonnes of hot rolled coils.
4. Inefficiency of public sector units:
Most of the public sector units are plagued by inefficiency caused by heavy investment on
social overheads, poor labour relations, inefficient management, under-utilisation of capacity,
etc. This hinders proper functioning of the steel plants and results in heavy losses.
5. Low potential utilisation:
The potential utilisation in iron and steel is very low. Rarely the potential utilisation exceeds 80
per cent. For example, Durgapur steel plant utilises only 50 per cent of its potential. This is
caused by several factors, like strikes, lockouts, scarcity of raw materials, energy crisis,
inefficient administration, etc.
6. Heavy demand:
Even at low per capita consumption rate, demand for iron and steel is increasing with each
passing day and large quantities of iron and steel are to be imported for meeting the demands.
Production has to be increased to save precious foreign exchange.
7. Shortage of metallurgical coal:
Although India has huge deposits of high grade iron ore, her coal reserves, especially high
grade cooking coal for smelting iron are limited. Many steel plants are forced to import
metallurgical coal. For example, steel plant at Vishakhapatnam has to import coal from
Australia. Serious thought is now being given to replace imported coal by natural gas from
Krishna-Godavari basin.
8. Inferior quality of products:
Lack of modern technological and capital inputs and weak infrastructural facilities leads to a
process of steel making which is more time consuming, expensive and yields inferior variety of
goods. Such a situation forces us to import better quality steel from abroad. Thus there is
urgent need to improve the situation and take the country out of desperate position.

5. Market Size:
In FY21, the production of crude steel and finished steel stood a 102.49 MT and 94.66 MT,
respectively. According to CARE Ratings, crude steel production is expected to reach 112-114
MT (million tonne), an increase of 8-9% YoY in FY22. The consumption of finished steel stood at
93.43 MT in FY21. Between April 2021 and September 2021, finished steel consumption stood
at 49.11 MT.
In May 2021, finished steel production stood at 7.8 MT.
In June 2021, SAIL’s crude steel production stood at 1.30 MT and saleable steel production was
1.27 MT.
Exports and imports of finished steel stood at 7.75 MT and 2.37 MT, respectively, in FY22 (until
September 2021). In April 2021, India’s export rose by 121.6% YoY, compared with 2020. In
FY20, India exported 8.24 MT of finished steel.
Investments:
Steel industry and its associated mining and metallurgy sectors have seen major investments
and developments in the recent past.
According to the data released by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT), between April 2000 and June 2021, Indian metallurgical industries attracted FDI inflows
of US$ 16.0 billion.
In FY22, demand for steel is expected to increase by 17% to 110 million tonnes, driven by rising
construction activities.
Some of the major investments in the Indian steel industryare as follows:
 In October 2021, Tata Steel was planning to set up more scrap-based facilities that will
have a capacity of at least a billion tonnes by 2025.
 In October 2021, JSW Steel invested Rs. 150 billion (US$ 19.9 million) to build a steel
plant in Jammu and Kashmir and boost manufacturing in the region.
 In October 2021, ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel Corp.’s joint venture steel firm in India,
announced a plan to expand its operations in the country by investing ~Rs. 1 trillion
(US$ 13.34 billion), over 10 years.
 In August 2021, Tata Steel announced to invest Rs. 8,000 crore (US$ 1.08 billion) in
capital expenditure to develop operations in India in FY22.
 In August 2021, ArcelorMittal announced to invest Rs. 1 lakh crore (US$ 13.48 billion) in
Gujarat for capacity expansion.
 In August 2021, Tata Steel announced to invest Rs. 3,000 crore (US$ 404.46 million) in
Jharkhand to expand capacities over the next three years.
 In August 2021, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. announced plans to invest US$ 2.4 billion to
increase capacity over the next six years to meet the rising demand from customers.

6.  Between April 2000 and March 2021, Indian metallurgical industries attracted FDIs of
US$ 14.74 billion.
 In the next three years from June 2021, JSW Steel is planning to invest Rs. 47,457 crore
(US$ 6.36 billion) to increase Vijayanagar’s steel plant capacity by 5 MTPA and establish
a mining infrastructure in Odisha.
 In June 2021, Mr. T.V. Narendran, the newly elected CII president and MD of Tata Steel,
in an interview with The Telegraph, stated that steel companies have firmed their plans
to invest ~Rs. 60,000 crore (US$ 8.09 billion) over the next three years—this is was the
biggest private sector investment plan announced in recent times.
 In June 2021, Shyam Metalics and Energy Ltd. (SMEL) announced that the company is
planning to double its production capacity at an estimated investment of ~Rs. 2,894
crore (US$ 389.72 million) through brownfield expansion at two of its units in the next
3-4 years.
 In April 2021, in a virtual roundtable conference organised by the Indian Chamber of
Commerce, Mr. Shin Bongkil, the South Korean Ambassador to India, announced that
POSCO, the South Korean steel giant, is planning to set up an integrated steel plant in
Odisha at an investment of US$ 12 billion, which would make it the country's biggest
FDI project.
 In May 2021, JSW Steel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to conduct a
feasibility study with its strategic alliance partner JFE Steel Corporation to establish a
Grain-oriented Electrical Steel Sheet Manufacturing and Sales JV Company in India.
 In May 2021, JSW Steel announced the steel-making expansion at its Vijayanagar plant
by 5 MT every year to 17 MT every year by the financial year ending March 2024.
 In March 2021, JSW Steel completed its takeover of debt-ridden Bhushan Power and
Steel Ltd., boosting to the former’s overall output to 21.5 mtpa. JSW Steel’s has 18
mtpa of capacity, which will hit more than 26 mtpa with the addition of BPSL and a
doubling of capacity at JSW Steel’s Dolvi steel mill to 10 mtpa.
 In March 2021, Arcelor Mittal Steel signed Rs 50,000 crore deal with Odisha
government to setup a steel plant in the state.
 In February 2021, Tata Steel BSL collaborated with FarEye, a software logistics firmto
improve its digital transformation process.
 In a move towards becoming self-reliant, Indian steel companies have started boosting
steel production capacity. To this end, SAIL announced doubling of its at 5 of its steel
plants capacity in September 2020.
 For FY20, JSW Steel set a target of supplying around 1.5 lakh tonnes of TMT Rebars to
metro rail projects across the country.
 JSW Steel has planned a US$ 4.14 billion capital expenditure programme to increase its
overall steel output capacity from 18 million tonnes to 23 million tonnes by 2020.
 Ministry of Steel plans to invest US$ 70 million in the eastern region of the country
through accelerated development of the sector.
 The production capacity of SAIL is expected to increase from 13 MTPA to 50 MTPA in
2025 with total investment of US$ 24.88 billion.
 Tata Steel has decided to increase the capacity of its Kalinga Nagar integrated steel
plant from 3 million tonnes to 8 million tonnes at an investment of US$ 3.64 billion.

7. GovernmentInitiatives:
Some of the other recentGovernment initiatives in this sector are as
follows:
 In October 2021, the government announced guidelines for the approved specialty
steel production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.
 In October 2021, India and Russia signed an MoU to carry out R&D in the steel sector
and produce coking coal (used in steel making).
 In July 2021, the Union Cabinet, approved the production-linked incentive (PLI)
scheme for specialty steel. The scheme is expected to attract investment worth ~Rs.
400 billion (US$ 5.37 billion) and expand specialty steel capacity by 25 million tonnes
(MT), to 42 MT in FY27, from 18 MT in FY21.
 In June 2021, Minister of Steel & Petroleum & Natural Gas Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan
addressed the webinar on ‘Making Eastern India a manufacturing hub with respect
to metallurgical industries’, organised by the Indian Institute of Metals. In 2020,
‘Mission Purvodaya’ was launched to accelerate development of the eastern states
of India (Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and the northern part of
Andhra Pradesh) through establishment of an integrated steel hub in Kolkata, West
Bengal. Eastern India has the potential to add >75% of the country’s incremental
steel capacity. It is expected that of the 300 MT capacity by 2030-31, >200 MT can
come from this region alone.
 In June 2021, JSW Steel, CSIR-National Chemical Lab (NCL), Scottish Development
International (SDI) and India H2 Alliance (IH2A) joined forces to commercialise
hydrogen in steel and cement sectors.
 Under the Union Budget 2020-21, the government allocated Rs. 39.25 crore (US$ 5.4
million) to the Ministry of Steel. The budget’s focus is on creating infrastructure and
manufacturing to propel the economy. In addition, enhanced outlays for key sectors
such as defence services, railways, and roads, transport and highways would provide
impetus to steel consumption.
 In January 2021, the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, signed a Memorandum
of Cooperation (MoC) with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,
Government of Japan, to boost the steel sector through joint activities under the
framework of India–Japan Steel Dialogue.
 The Union Cabinet, Government of India approved the National Steel Policy (NSP)
2017, as it intend to create a globally competitive steel industry in India. NSP 2017
envisage 300 million tonnes (MT) steel-making capacity and 160 kgs per capita steel
consumption by 2030-31.
 The Ministry of Steel is facilitating setting up of an industry driven Steel Research
and Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) in association with the public and private
sector steel companies to spearhead research and development activities in the iron
and steel industry at an initial corpus of Rs. 200 crore (US$ 30 million).
 The Government of India raised import duty on most steel items twice, each time by
2.5% and imposed measures including anti-dumping and safeguard duties on iron
and steel items.

8. Road ahead
The National Steel Policy, 2017 envisage 300 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030-
31. The per capita consumption of steel has increased from 57.6 kgs to 74.1 kgs during the
last five years. The government has a fixed objective of increasing rural consumption of steel
from the current 19.6 kg/per capita to 38 kg/per capita by 2030-31.
As per Indian Steel Association (ISA), steel demand will grow by 7.2% in 2019-20 and 2020-
21.
Huge scope for growth is offered by India’s comparatively low per capita steel consumption
and the expected rise in consumption due to increased infrastructure construction and the
thriving automobile and railways sectors.
EXPORT AND IMPORT OF IRON AND STEEL FOR 21-22: (code L3 given
by Indian Government)
Export balance of Iron and Steel are US$19,246 Mn and Import balance of Iron and Steel are
US$10,300 Mn. So, the balance of trade is US$8946 Mn.
EXPORT AND IMPORT OF PRODUCTS OF IRON AND STEEL FOR 21-22:
(Code L4 given by Indian Government)
Export balance of products of Iron and Steel are US$7,055 Mn and Import balance of
products of Iron and Steel are US$3,903Mn. So, the balance of trade is US$3,153 Mn.

9. BIBILIOGRAPHY:
Media reports
Press releases
Press Information Bureau (PIB)
Joint Plant Committee (JPC)
Union Budget 2021-22
Lotusarise.com
https://dashboard.commerce.gov.in/commercedashboard.aspx