March 14, 2002

    Blast Furnace Complex of Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd. (NINL) at Duburi in Orissa has been commissioned in February 2002 and production of pig iron and stabilisation of system has commenced. The optimum production capacity of the plant is around 1.10 million tonnes of hot metal per year. The plant is expected to achieve the rated capacity during 3^rd year of operation.

    The estimated capital outlay on NINL was Rs.1510 crore in 1996. IDBI carried out mid-term appraisal of the project in 2001 and revised cost of the project has been estimated at Rs.1524 crore excluding Wire Rod Mill. Delay in plant commissioning has been mainly on account of unduly delay in taking physical possession of the land and set back caused by super cyclone.

    This information was given by the Minister for Steel Shri B.K.Tripathy in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.