New Delhi: Strong affordable homes made of steel can easily be built at a nominal Rs 2 lakh under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY), Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said today.
The National Steel Policy (NSP) not only envisages enhanced 300 million tonne (MT) steel capacity in the country, but also stresses the need for increased consumption and this calls for diversification and maximum use of the alloy in projects, the steel minister said while addressing media on three years initiatives and achievements of his ministry here.
"The allocation under PMAY is Rs 1.5 lakh, while the same for hilly states is Rs 1.6 lakh. Ministry of National Steel Policy assures tie ups with banks for Rs 70,000 and this way the allocation will be over Rs 2 lakh. Homes primarily using steel could easily be made for Rs 2 lakh under it," Singh said.
He said these homes will not only enhance the steel consumption in the country and augment infrastructure, but will also be extra strong and durable.
"These homes will not only be cost-effective but quick to construct. We saw houses in Gangtok and deliberated also that if we use steel structures that can enhance their durability," the minister said.
Steel Secretary Aruna Sharma, on the sidelines, said that Chattishgarh government has agreed to such a proposal and talks were also on with other states and bodies as this will be a viable proposition.
The minister said that stress was given on maximum use of steel in infrastructure projects and talks were on with primarily ministries of Railways, Shipping, Highways, Rural Development and Urban Development.
"Railways Ministry will now be sourcing 12 lakh tonnes of steel as against previous 8 lakh tonnes and the biggest rail in the world - 260 metre - is being constructed at Bhilai," the minister said.
Singh said India aims to take its steel production capacity to 300 MT by 2030-31 at a cost of Rs 10 lakh crore besides taking the per capita steel consumption to 158 kgs. During the last three years, per capita consumption has increased to 65 kgs from 59.3 kg, he said.
The global per capita consumption at present is 204 kg. The minister said a slew of steps have been taken to enhance and protect domestic consumption that include periodical review of production and pellatisation from slurry and sludge to cut on huge import bills on coking coal and steelmakers import 80 per cent of their coking coal requirement.
He also said PSU and other bodies will use meade in India steel worth over Rs 50 crore on the lines of melt and made policy in the US and if imported they will have to do value addition.
