Govt rules out time-frame for steel policy

NEW DELHI: The government on Sunday ruled out any time-frame for the new steel policy and said a committee headed by the cabinet secretary was looking into it and would come out with a comprehensive vision document in due course.

"The draft steel policy is being examined by a committee headed by the cabinet secretary. The policy will be a concrete vision document and we are not in a hurry," Union Minister for Steel and Fertilisers, Ram Vilas Paswan, told reporters here.

He said the draft steel policy, prepared by the Steel Ministry, was put up before the Cabinet last month, which in turn had referred it to the committee for further study.

The new comprehensive steel policy, which is expected to address the entire gamut of steel-related issues, would be finalised by the committee after taking into account the views of all sections including the producers and consumers, he said.

Paswan also said the production target of 100 million tonne steel by 2020 and other industry-related issues were being seriously pursued by the Ministry.

He said steel had become such an important material for the common man that the government was committed to make it available on demand and at reasonable price.

Earlier, the Minister inaugurated the Steel Ministry''s pavilion at the India International Trade Fair 2004 here.