Lok Sabha Question No. 2304 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-08
Subject: Increase in Steel Import
Ministry: STEEL
Asked by: Shashi Tharoor

## INCREASE IN STEEL IMPORT

2304.  DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of STEEL be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  imports  of  steel  from  Japan  and  South  Korea  have  increased since 2014;

- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  percentage-wise  increase  in  steel  import  since  2014, country-wise and year-wise;
- (c) whether the import of steel by the Railways has increased since 2014 and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether it is a fact that the National Steel Policy requires Government projects to use steel manufactured in the country itself and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

## THE MINISTER OF STEEL

(a) From  FY  2013-14  till  2018-19,  imports  of  steel  from  South  Korea  have increased by 122% while steel imports from Japan have declined by 4%.

(b) Data on percentage change in imports of total finished steel (alloy/stainless + non-alloy) by India from Japan and South Korea during last five years and April-May 2019 is given below:-

| Import of total finished steel   | Import of total finished steel   | Import of total finished steel   | Import of total finished steel   | Import of total finished steel   |
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|                                  | Japan                            | Japan                            | South Korea                      | South Korea                      |
| Period                           | Qty. ('000t)                     | % change                         | Qty. ('000t)                     | % change                         |
| 2013-14                          | 1358                             | -14                              | 1321                             | -21                              |
| 2014-15                          | 1583                             | 17                               | 1875                             | 43                               |
| 2015-16                          | 2160                             | 36                               | 3007                             | 60                               |
| 2016-17                          | 1136                             | -47                              | 2103                             | -30                              |
| 2017-18                          | 1176                             | 4                                | 2473                             | 18                               |
| 2018-19*                         | 1299                             | 10                               | 2936                             | 19                               |
| April-May 2019*                  | 187                              | -18                              | 457                              | -2                               |
| Source: JPC; *provisional        | Source: JPC; *provisional        | Source: JPC; *provisional        | Source: JPC; *provisional        | Source: JPC; *provisional        |

(c) Yes,  Sir.  During  FY  2015-2019,  the  imports  of  steel  for  railways  have increased by 319%.

(d) Government  has  notified a specific Policy for providing preference to Domestically Manufactured Iron & Steel Products in Government procurements and tenders to promote the domestic manufacturing.

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