CONSTRUCTION OF NMDC ROMELT PLANT IN CHHATISGARH TO START SHORTLY
DECISION ON TPE PARTICIPATION IN REVIVAL
OF IISCO WITHIN TWO MONTHS
The recent visit
of Indian steel delegation to Russia, Ukraine and Finland under
the leadership of the Minister of Steel, Shri Braja Kishore Tripathy,
has helped solve some major bilateral issues. It has been decided
that the construction work at the Romelt plant of NMDC at Nagarnar
of Chhatisgarh with participation of MISA and TPE will be taken
up shortly. It has also been decided that the Russian government
will take a decision on TPE participation in revival of IISCO
within a period of two months. This matter was pending with the
Russian government for quite some time. The delegation met Mr.
I klebanov, Minister for Industry, Science and Technologies of
Russian Federtion of June 10,2003. The Vice Minister of the Department
of Industry, Science and Technologies, the President of Tazpromexports
(TPE) and the Head of the Moscow Institute of Steel & Alloys
(MISA) were present in the meeting along with the senior officers.
The Russian side
assured the delegation to settle the outstanding dues of SAIL
on account of the adjustment of Central Rupee Account within a
period of two months. A techno-economic feasibility report from
the Russian side on the joint research project of NALCO for iron
extraction from red mud will be ready by July 15, 2003. Shri Tripathy
raised the proposal of RRL, Bhubaneswar for setting up facilities
for smelting reduction for iron ore, slimes, red mud and chromite
over burden using a Romelt Reactor. It was agreed that a demonstration
plant at RRL, Bhubaneshwar will be established and tie-up of funds
will be resolved shortly.
The Russian Government
will provide a demonstration model for computer system for technological
processes in metallurgy sector. They will also provide brief profiles
and approach notes on some of the technologies developed by them
to MECON. The delegation visited the laboratories of Moscow Institute
of Steel & Alloys at Moscow and the VAMI Institute for non-ferrous
metals at St. Petersburg. Since NMDC is having Magnesite deposits
with its subsidiary JKMDC in Jammu, NMDC will interact with VAMI
for using their technology for conversion of Magnesite to Magnesium
Metal.
The delegation's
meeting with Mr. V. Gaiduk, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine has
strengthened the bilateral cooperation on steel sector. It was
decided that the Indo-Ukraine Joint Committee on Technical &
Scientific Cooperation shall meet shortly to draw up long term
cooperation between the two countries. It was also decided that
possibilities of cooperation between Indian and Ukrainian steel
industry will be explored on building of coke oven batteries and
supply of spares for integrated steel plants of India and supply
of Indian software for automatic process control. It was also
decided that possibilities of joint participation for supplying
technologies and buildings joint venture projects in third-world
countries will be explored.
Shri Tripathi had
a detailed discussion with the Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade
and Development Cooperation, Ms. Paula Lehtomaki. Possibilities
of increasing Indian exports to Finland and acquiring the technology
compliant with latest pollution control norms for coke oven batteries
and fully automatic blast furnace operations were discussed. A
discussion was held with M/s Outokumpu Technologies for Synthetic
rutile production in collaboration with M/s Lurgi Technologies
for NMDC Joint Venture with KSIDC and Indian Rare-Earths Limited.
Dr. S.N. Dash, Joint
Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Sri P.R. Tripathi, CMD of NMDC and
Sri S.C.K. Patne, Director (Projects) of SAIL were in the delegation.
