Latest news with #MinistryofSteel
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Govt may mandate public procurement of 25% sustainable green steel
Ashwini Kumar, economic advisor to the Ministry of Steel, confirmed that public procurement would play a key role in creating a market for low-emission steel premium Saket Kumar New Delhi Listen to This Article The government is finalising a green steel procurement mandate, with a potential 25 per cent target, even as it criticises the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as a trade barrier that undermines ongoing India-EU free-trade agreement (FTA) talks. Ashwini Kumar, economic advisor to the Ministry of Steel, confirmed that public procurement would play a key role in creating a market for low-emission steel. He said the government was considering a mandate to ensure green steel is not edged out by cheaper, high-emission alternatives. 'We are working on that also. It's a tricky business. I don't know when we will
India Today
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Did you know that Ahaan Panday's father Chikki once bailed SRK out of prison?
Ahaan Panday's debut in 'Saiyaara' has caused quite a stir, catapulting the young actor into overnight stardom. His father, Aloke 'Chikki' Panday, a businessman, counts several of Bollywood's top stars among his closest friends. Nana Patekar and he once bailed Shah Rukh Khan out of has shared a three-decade-long friendship with Shah Rukh Khan. In 1994, when Shah Rukh was arrested for allegedly threatening a journalist, Chikki and actor Nana Patekar stepped in to bail him out. Even Ahaan shares a close bond with Aryan Khan, SRK's son and a budding shares a long-standing friendship with actor-filmmaker Sohail Khan and remains close to the entire Khan family. Their bond is so strong that pre-wedding celebrations for his daughter Alanna were hosted at Sohail Khan's Mumbai residence. His wife, Deanne Panday, a former model turned lifestyle coach, counts Salman Khan, Preity Zinta, Lara Dutta and Bipasha Basu among her clientele. Salman has supported her ventures publicly on multiple played a key role in resolving the infamous rift between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. In 2013, he facilitated their reunion by ensuring they were seated together at politician Baba Siddiqui's Iftaar gathering, paving the way for a reconciliation. Born in Bombay in 1966, Chikki Panday is the son of renowned surgeon Sharad Panday and the younger brother of actor Chunky Panday, who rose to fame in the late '80s and early '90s. While Chunky pursued acting, Chikki ventured into business. He has served on the Steel Consumers Council under the Ministry of Steel, as well as on the Telephone Advisory Committees of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. He also founded the Akshara Foundation of Arts & Learning, a non-profit that provides educational support to underprivileged his strong ties to Bollywood, Chikki Panday keeps a low profile and maintains a minimal presence on social media.- Ends
New Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Proposal to shift BPNSI from Kalinga Nagar to RSP opposed
BHUBANESWAR: The Ministry of Steel's purported decision to shift the Biju Patnaik National Steel Institute (BPNSI) from Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district to Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) campus has triggered widespread resentment among locals and political representatives. If shifted, this would mark the second relocation of the institute in five years and will be a setback to the region's aspirations of becoming a hub of steel, technology and skill development. Initially established by the ministry in 2001 at Puri, BPNSI was shifted to Kalinga Nagar in 2021 following the decision of the then Union Steel minister Dharmendra Pradhan as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Mission Purvodaya. Since then, the institute has been operating out of a temporary facility within the JCDL building at Kalinga Nagar. Sources said the central idea behind the shifting was to develop BPNSI into an institute of international standards, so that it can serve as a hub for training, skilling and research in the steel sector. Accordingly, 25 acre of land was earmarked by the state government through IDCO for the institute's permanent campus at Kalinga Nagar and five acre of land at Balianta on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar for a city campus.
India.com
12-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Steel Ministry Tightens Screws On Dubious, Cheap Imports; Short Relief Window As Focus Shifts To Make In India push
Reported By: Rabiul Islam In a move aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing and ensuring high-quality standards, the Ministry of Steel has issued fresh exemptions under its order dated 13 June 2025. This new directive provides two key relaxations: First, imported steel products with a Bill of Lading date on or before 15 July 2025 are exempted from the mandatory requirement of using BIS-compliant input steel. This window allows certain pre-shipped consignments to clear without facing sudden regulatory hurdles, offering relief to traders caught in transition. Second, integrated steel plants (ISPs) within India are exempted from the same requirement for their final products, provided they undergo verification of their BIS licences. To avail this, ISPs must submit a declaration to the Ministry of Steel confirming their status along with supporting BIS documentation. Any false declaration can lead to penalties, including debarment in the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS). These changes come against the backdrop of increasing scrutiny of steel imports, especially from China, Vietnam, and Japan. Over the past year, the Steel Ministry uncovered widespread malpractices where traders tried to bypass quality norms by misrepresenting the grade and composition of imported steel. In many cases, importers sought approval for 'new' or 'modified' grades that did not meet Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms, allowing them to bring in cheaper and weaker materials. Earlier data showed over 1,100 import applications involving steel grades not officially recognised or covered under BIS. Many of these so-called new grades had only minor tweaks, clearly revealing a strategy to flood the Indian market with inferior steel. India has been importing around 400,000 tonnes of non-BIS-compliant steel each year, worth nearly Rs 4,200 crore. The new order supports India's broader push to reduce dependence on imports, improve quality checks, and strengthen local production. The Ministry's latest decision is expected to boost the 'Make in India' programme. By insisting that only BIS-compliant steel be used, the government is protecting consumers and encouraging Indian producers to expand capacity. Many domestic steelmakers — both public and private — have already assured the government they will ramp up production and keep prices stable. Two major producers have committed to supplying enough steel to meet local demand and avoid sudden price spikes, at least until December 2025. This aligns with the vision of a self-reliant India, or 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', where local industries cater to domestic needs and create jobs. Moreover, these steps will help stop the inflow of Chinese-origin steel entering India through Vietnam and other routes. The Ministry had highlighted that many so-called Vietnamese shipments were actually Chinese products re-routed to bypass trade barriers. By enforcing BIS norms on both final products and input materials like billets and coils, India is closing these loopholes that have hurt local steelmakers. Overall, this order marks a clear step toward building a stronger, more reliable steel ecosystem in India. It protects safety standards, supports local manufacturing, and reinforces India's goal of becoming a global manufacturing hub. For a sector that is critical to infrastructure and countless industries, such policy clarity sends a strong message: India is serious about quality and self-reliance. This is not just a regulatory update; it is a decisive move to empower Indian producers, enhance global competitiveness, and place 'Make in India' firmly at the centre of the country's growth story.
Mint
08-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
As smaller importers raise concerns, India defers tighter quality controls for finished steel imports
New Delhi: The Union steel ministry has deferred the implementation of a 13 June quality control order (QCO) on imports of finished steel products by four months, after small importers raised concerns regarding shipments already in transit. According to a piece of correspondence seen by Mint, the ministry, in consultation with the industry on 7 July, decided to defer the tightening of imports by allowing shipments of steel products without Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification. The 13 June notification had made it mandatory for importers to get a BIS stamp of approval. The notification was an addendum to an August 2024 QCO, and specifically extended the QCO requirements to the input materials used in steel and steel products. This meant that both finished steel products and the raw materials used in their production, including imports, would have to comply with BIS specifications. But in the 7 July stakeholder consultations, the government deferred the plan and decided that the QCO will not be applicable to input materials used by steel mills abroad. The government also noted that shipments in transit would be impacted, and decided to give importers time to transition to the new rule. "Ministry of Steel is aware of the concerns of shipments that have already reached/are reaching the ports in India. A suitable timeline for ensuring that there are no disruptions in clearing such consignments, is being considered," the communication said. An email query sent to the union steel ministry remained unanswered. The 13 June notification, if implemented, would have adversely impacted MSME traders in the steel sector, who largely rely on imported raw material on account of increased compliance burden and costs. Importers wrote to the steel ministry asking for the notification to be withdrawn. The implementation of the QCO, which was notified on 13 June and implemented only three days later, put approximately ₹ 150 crore of advance payments in jeopardy, according to the letter written by industry body Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM) on 18 June. "Importers who placed orders months ago under pre-existing regulations are now facing uncertainty. Shipments already in transit or contracted prior to 16th June are suddenly non-compliant, risking needless financial loss and supply disruption," said the letter. In addition, importers of finished steel products said, receiving BIS certification is a lengthy process that can take months. The government in its 7 July consultation also set up a timeline for BIS certification. It was decided that after proper documentation was submitted by steel mills, BIS would visit the plants within two months. In the following two months, the certificate would be issued, according to the correspondence seen by Mint. Deferring a QCO would provide breathing room to importers, according to A.S. Firoz, former Chief Economist at the Economic Research Unit of the Ministry of Steel, and currently a strategy advisor to the industry. "QCOs are applicable to domestic producers also, not just for imports. However, they can act as a non-tariff barrier in global trade, as such regulations can raise the costs of imported steel, squeeze availability and delay shipments. At the moment, shifting from a non-certified international supplier to a certified one will add to cost (for importers) and disrupt production as well," he said. Firoz added that QCOs are used to protect the industry from low-priced materials of unspecified quality, the proliferation of which can harm not only the steel industry but other downstream industries, too. In May, 0.661 million tonnes of finished steel was slated for imports under 23,797 such applications, as per the SIMS portal monthly report by the union steel ministry. SIMS stands for Steel Import Monitoring system. Korea, with a share of 36.8%, followed by China, with a 21.3% share of May 2025 imports, were the top two sources. The highest share of the imports in May 2025—28%—were for the automobile and auto components sector, SIMS data showed. Union minister of steel H.D. Kumaraswamy stated on X (formerly Twitter) on 7 July, "Held a stakeholder consultation on BIS certification under the QCO framework. The 13 June 2025 Order by the Ministry of Steel is a clarificatory measure, ensuring parity between domestic producers and importers by mandating BIS compliance even for intermediate steel inputs used in final products."
