PM GIVES AWAY TROPHY FOR BEST INTEGRATED
STEEL PLANT TO TISCO
PM’S
SPEECH ON THE OCCASION
The Prime Minister
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave away the Prime Minister’s Trophy
for the best Integrated Steel Plant in India for the Year 2000-2001
to the Tata Iron & Steel Company Ltd, at New Delhi today.
Union Minister of State (Independent charge) for Steel Shri Braj
Kishore Tripathi and Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Shri J.S. Gill
were among the distinguished guests present on the occasion. Following
is the text of the speech of the PM on the occasion:
"We have gathered
here today to award the Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best Integrated
Steel Plant in India for the Year 2000-2001 to the Tata Iron &
Steel Company Ltd. My hearty congratulations to the management
and workers of Tata Steel. You have shown that TISCO stands not
only for excellence but also for sustained excellence in
the field of Iron & Steel.
Tata Steel is the
pride of India because it is one of the pioneers of indigenous
industrialization in our country. The fact that it would soon
be celebrating a century of its existence shows the long road
it has traversed.
It was not an easy
road. Difficulties started even before it was born. The colonial
rulers were none too pleased that an Indian entrepreneur had the
audacity to think of setting up a steel plant. It is said that
when Jamshedji Tata planned to manufacture steel rails in his
mill, the then chairman of the Railway Board, an Englishman, contemptuously
challenged: "Why, I will undertake to eat every pound of
rail they succeed in making."
We do not know how
many pounds of steel he succeeded in eating!
What we do know is
that Tata Steel has succeeded in growing from strength to strength,
and has transformed itself into a modern and globally competitive
company.
What pleases me especially
is that Tata Steel has not only continued to succeed in a highly
competitive business, but it has done so by continuing its social
obligation. Even after several decades of its setting up, Jamshedpur
continues to be one of the model industrial townships anywhere
in the world, with strong symbiotic relationships to the broader
local community.
Friends,
We all know that
our steel industry was one of the first to benefit from economic
liberalization in the country in the early 1990s. Licensing was
abolished. Prices were decontrolled. Hurdles in distribution were
removed. Post 1990, a large number of steel plants came up in
the private sector. The Government also supported free inflow
of foreign capital, technology, equipment and raw materials. As
a result, the share of the private sector in our crude steel production
has gone up considerably. Today India has become the 8th
largest steel producer of the world.
Let me cite another
fact. Indian steel industry has been a major beneficiary of global
markets. Last year was a bumper year for our steel exports. Our
exporters realized higher value in international as well as domestic
markets. This helped greatly in removing the recession in our
steel industry.
Global competition
has helped the steel industry in another way. Some of the steel
plants in the country have not only adopted international best
practices and benchmarks in terms of quality and costs, but have
also improved upon them. This has been possible because these
companies have systematically planned for global competition and
made it a part of their organizational culture.
I mention this to
underscore how India’s carefully formulated reforms have indeed
benefited Indian industry. Every once in a while, we hear voices
that criticize economic reforms and paint a doomsday scenario
for the Indian economy. Their criticism is not supported by facts.
I would like to assure one and all that protection and promotion
of the interests of the Indian agriculture, Indian industry, and
Indian service enterprises, and creation of employment by them
is the primary aim of economic reforms.
Of course, we know
fully well that globalisation is not without its threats and challenges.
We are alert and active whenever our industry is subjected to
unfair measures in global markets. Which is why, the Government
has been intervening strongly in support of the Indian steel industry
in the case of the difficulties that it has been facing in some
markets in the name of anti-dumping.
Our reform-oriented
policies and programmes, especially in the infrastructure sector,
are designed to provide a boost to the steel industry, as also
to other industries. We have given a major thrust to the development
of highways, railways, airports, seaports, housing, and power.
Our nationwide rural roads programme will accelerate the growth
of rural economy. We also want to modernize our entire food chain
by developing proper storage, transportation and distribution
facilities. All this will enlarge the domestic market for a whole
host of industrial products, including steel.
It is our endeavour
to see that domestic consumption of steel rapidly increases. Steady
rise in domestic demand for steel will also enable the Indian
steel industry to meet the uncertainties inherent in the cyclical
nature of global demand for steel.
Therefore, I call
upon our steel producers to focus on the changing needs of both
domestic and international customers and produce the right kind
of materials for every segment. They should intensify the search
for new and unconventional markets. They should especially focus
on high-value steel products in international markets. I am happy
to note that, already India is emerging as a global leader in
the outsourcing of automobile components.
Continued attention
to R&D is critical for sustaining the industry’s growth momentum.
The Government is providing financial assistance from the Steel
Development Fund to supplement your R&D activities. I urge
the industry to take full advantage of this facility and undertake
research projects for process and quality improvement, energy
efficiency, and development of new products.
Protection of the
environment is a major concern for our country. It cannot be neglected,
nor can it be treated as a peripheral issue, in our drive for
rapid industrial growth. Our aim has to be sustainable development
– that is, development without jeopardizing the well-being of
the coming generations. I am happy that many integrated steel
pants in India have been doing well in this regard. However, more
needs to be done.
Before concluding,
I once again congratulate the management and the employees of
Tata Steel for winning the Prime Minister’s Trophy. I also thank
the Ministry of Steel and the steel fraternity for continuously
striving for the betterment of the steel industry in the country."