STEEL PRODUCTION UP 7.4 PER CENT

---

The total production of finished steel during April-September 2003 has been provisionally estimated at 170.50 lakh tonnes as against 158.81 lakh tonnes during the corresponding period last year showing an increase of 7.4 per cent. The total production of pig iron during this period has been 26.9 lakh tonnes as against 25.66 lakh tonnes during the same period last year with a growth of 2.4 per cent.

The apparent consumption of finished steel item during the period is 143 lakh tonnes higher by 3.4 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year. The consumption of pig iron during these six months has gone up to 24.5 lakh tonnes as against 22.55 lakh tonnes during the same period last year.

The export of steel during the first half of this year has been estimated at 26.5 lakh tonnes with a growth of 35.6 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of previous year. The production, domestic sales and exports by public sector undertakings during the first half of the year has shown considerable improvement. The Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) and Rastriya Ispat Nigam Ltd. (RINL) have fully achieved their production targets for the month of September 2003 and have registered encouraging growth.