Fast track ongoing capital projects: Steel Minister to MOIL

NEW DELHI: Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh today advised manganese miner MOIL to fast track the ongoing projects and target completion of projects in the pipeline before the scheduled time.

During a review meeting with the top management of MOIL, Singh asked MOIL to explore opportunities for skill training of local youth, particularly in Left Wing Extremist ( LWE) areas in convergence with Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana ( DDU-GKY), an official statement said.

While commending CSR work of the company, the Minister asked MOIL to ensure that the developmental works in villages adopted under CSR, may be monitored in accordance with Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana ( SAGY) framework.

The Minister exhorted MOIL to expand its manganese resource base as a long-term strategy. He appreciated MOIL's mid-term plans of diversification by sharing its mining expertise and downstream production on availability of captive power facilities.

He discussed at length the challenges and opportunities in exploration and extraction of mineral resources like iron ore and manganese.

Optimal utilisation of these resources is essential for raw material securitisation for steel industry in order to achieve scale and size for cost competitiveness, Singh added.

MOIL is a PSU under the Steel Ministry.