GUWAHATI: Stressing that the steel industry plays a key role in fostering socio-economic development of a country, Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste has said the manufacturing units should be able to understand and address all needs of the customers efficiently.
Speaking here at an interactive programme organised by the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), he said poor connectivity in the region has always been a major bottleneck for transportation of steel and iron products, but the northeast was working towards overcoming the challenge.
"Steel industry plays a crucial role in fostering sustainable socio-economic development. Connectivity, however, has been a major challenge for the transportation of steel and iron products. In the last few years, the northeast has been trying to overcome this challenge to a large extent," the Union minister of state for steel said here Friday.
He emphasised on the importance of understanding consumers' needs, maintaining that the "steel producing authorities should be able to address them aptly and efficiently".
State Transport and Industries Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, while deliberating on the importance of steel in nation-building, said the Centre's thrust on the Act East Policy has opened up new vistas for the region.
"Steel industry provides the base for all industries. Steel is required in almost all types of construction work - right from manufacturing ships, trains, trucks, to constructing bridges and buildings," he said, urging Kulaste to open a steel manufacturing plant and an alloy factory in Assam to cater to the ASEAN market.