NMDC
ASKED TO EXPEDITE ITS ONGOING AND NEW PROJECTS
The National Mineral Development Corporation
(NMDC), a public sector unit of the Steel Ministry is going to
start the construction of Romelt Technology based iron and steel
plant at Nagarnar in Bastar District of Chhatisgarh. The survey
work for the plant and township and the construction of compound
wall for the plant has been completed. It has other new projects
like Kumarswamy Iron Ore Project in Karnataka and Lime stone Project
at Arki in Himachal Pradesh. Its diversification plan includes
Beech Sand Project in Bheemunipatnam in Andhra Pradesh (AP) and
in Puri and Ganjam districts of Orissa and exploration for Diamonds
in Kalyandurg Block of Anandapur District of AP. NMDC has been
asked by the Minister for Steel Shri B.K.Tripathy to expedite
the projects to avoid time and cost over runs. Shri Tripathy in
the review meeting today hailed the role of NMDC for its contribution
to the national development during last four decades and asked
the CMD Shri P.R.Tripathy to sustain the tempo of progress and
get ready to face the global competitions. He asked NMDC to complete
the Uniflow Railway System at Bailadila Deposit-5 on priority
basis.
The Minister asked NMDC to ensure higher
level of production in respect of iron ore and diamond to improve
profitability. The CMD briefed that NMDC has crossed its target
of 51.45 lakh tonnes of iron ore excavation during the Ist quarter
of this fiscal by excavating 52.03 lakh tonnes. It has also achieved
99 per cent of its target by producing 38.39 lakh tonnes of iron
ore during the quarter. The Iron ore excavation and production
during the corresponding period of the last year was 49.12 lakh
tonnes and 33.45 lakh tonnes respectively. It has produced 19,288
carats of diamond during these 3 months against 16,046 carats
during the same period last year. Its sales have also gone up
from 41.48 lakh tonnes during April-June, 2001-02 to 43.74 lakh
tonnes of iron ore during the Ist quarter of this fiscal. The
Company with its miniratna-category I status is striving hard
to get Navaratna status.
