CHENNAI: The Union government is planning to set up a National Bureau of Corrosion Control (NBCC), modelled on the lines of Bureau of Energy Efficiency, according to Union Chemicals and Petrochemicals secretary Surjit Kumar Chaudhary.
Speaking during the three-day CORCON 2015, organised by National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) International Gateway India Section (NIGIS), he said the initiative to set up the NBCC was part of the strategic and commercial dialogue with the United States.
While Chaudhary did not give the specifics about the Bureau, it is learnt that the plan to set up the bureau was mooted after it was found that the cost of corrosion in the economy is around three to four per cent of country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) -approximately $70 billion.
The indirect cost of corrosion to the Indian economy is equally high. Experts said setting up of the NBCC is part of the National Chemical Policy which is in the final stages of approval.
US Commercial Service also pushed the idea following two commercial dialogues. It is learnt that the Ministry of Petrochemicals is the nodal agency for the project. Besides promoting awareness about corrosion, the Bureau would also carry out education training programmes besides providing skills and training to MSMEs.