NMDC, SAIL signs MoU to develop limestone unit in Himachal

HYDERABAD: Mining major, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), and steel maker, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) on Wednesday signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a limestone project at Arki in Himachal Pradesh.

The MoU was signed between NMDC and SAIL in the presence of Minister for Steel Virbhadra Singh and Minister of State for Steel A Sai Prathap.

The MoU was earlier signed on Monday at New Delhi by Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary (Steel), Rana Som, CMD of NMDC and S K Roongta, CMD of SAIL.

NMDC is holding the mining lease for limestone in Arki. The deposit has about 100 million tonnes of SMS grade limestone, a valuable input for steel making.

By signing the MoU, both the companies will jointly look into various technical aspects to develop a three-million tonne per annum project. Supply from this project will ensure limestone raw material security for steel plants of SAIL and also to the NMDC's steel plant being put up at Nagarnar in Chhattisgarh.

As the project comes up, Himachal Pradesh would also benefit by way of employment generation, sustained growth and economic prosperity, an NMDC release said.