Lok Sabha Question No. 141 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Decline in Export of Steel
Ministry: STEEL
Asked by: Chandra Prakash Joshi, Sangamlal Kadedin Gupta, Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.141 FOR ANSWER ON 18/11/2019

## DECLINE IN EXPORT OF STEEL

141. SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

SHRI SANGAM LAL GUPTA:

SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

Will the Minister of STEEL be pleased to state:

- (a) the change registered in the production of Steel in the country during the last five years along with the details of its production, year-wise;
- (b) whether the export of Steel has declined;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  providing  any  type  of  incentive  to  increase  the production of Steel;
- (e) if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether  the  Government  is  considering  to  sell  SAIL  and  if  so,  the  reasons therefor along with the details of the modalities?

## ANSWER

(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

## THE MINISTER OF STEEL

- (a) Data on production of crude steel during last five years i.e 2014-15 to 2018-19 along with percentage change is given below:-

| India: crude steel (million tones or mt)   | India: crude steel (million tones or mt)   | India: crude steel (million tones or mt)   |
|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| Year                                       | Production                                 | %change over last year                     |
| 2014-15                                    | 88.98                                      | --                                         |
| 2015-16                                    | 89.79                                      | 0.9                                        |
| 2016-17                                    | 97.94                                      | 9.1                                        |
| 2017-18                                    | 103.13                                     | 5.3                                        |
| 2018-19                                    | 110.92                                     | 7.6                                        |
| Source: JPC                                | Source: JPC                                | Source: JPC                                |

(b)&(c):  Yes,  Sir.    Decline  was  registered  during  FY  2014-15,  FY  2015-16  and  FY 2018-19. However, export of total finished steel (non-alloy + alloy/stainless) registered a growth during FY 2016-17 and FY 2017-18. The data on overall export of  total  finished  (non-alloy  +  alloy/stainless)  steel  during  the  last  five  years  i.e  FY. 2014-15 to FY 2018-19 is given below:-

| Total Finished Steel (alloy/stainless + non-alloy) Export (mt)   | Total Finished Steel (alloy/stainless + non-alloy) Export (mt)   | Total Finished Steel (alloy/stainless + non-alloy) Export (mt)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                             | Qty                                                              | %change over last year                                           |
| 2014-15                                                          | 5.59                                                             | -6.5                                                             |
| 2015-16                                                          | 4.08                                                             | -27.1                                                            |
| 2016-17                                                          | 8.24                                                             | 102.1                                                            |
| 2017-18                                                          | 9.62                                                             | 16.7                                                             |
| 2018-19                                                          | 6.36                                                             | -33.9                                                            |
| Source: JPC                                                      | Source: JPC                                                      | Source: JPC                                                      |

(d)&(e): Steel is a de-regulated sector. Government's role is that of a facilitator which lays down policy guidelines and establishes the institutional mechanism/structure for creating conducive environment for improving efficiency and performance of the steel sector.

(f) No,  Sir.    The  Government  has  accorded  'in  principle'  approval  for  strategic disinvestment  of  only  three  units  of  Steel  Authority  of  India  Limited  (SAIL)  viz. Visveswaraya Iron & Steel Plant (VISP), Bhadravati, Karnataka, Salem Steel Plant (SSP),  Tamil  Nadu  and  Alloy  Steels  Plant  (ASP),  Durgapur,  West  Bengal.  These three units of SAIL have been consistently making losses. These three units are to be disinvested  through  a  set  of  modalities  prescribed  by  the  guidelines  issued  by DIPAM.

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