SALEM: Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy paid an official visit to the Salem Steel Plant on Friday. The minister was received by district authorities and plant officials and was accorded a Guard of Honour.
“The steel is not just a material, it is the backbone of national development,” Kumaraswamy said, highlighting the sector’s central role in realising the government’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
During a tour of the plant, a unit of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), the minister observed the entire steelmaking process from scrap processing to production of stainless steel slabs.
“This plant reflects the true spirit of Make in India,” he said. In a high-level review meeting, discussions on boosting production capacity, addressing operational bottlenecks, and leveraging renewable energy to cut costs were held. “Speciality steel is the future. Salem can play a key role in this with full capacity utilisation and a smart product mix,” Kumaraswamy added.
He assured labour union representatives that workers’ concerns would be addressed. The visit aligns with the centre’s goals of achieving 300 MT steel production by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2070, he added.