Rajya Sabha MP Chaudhary Birender Singh has taken charge as the new Steel Minister at a time when the sector faces low prices and high debt.
Singh, who joined the BJP in 2014 after ending a 42-year association with the Congress, was earlier Rural Development Minister. In the Steel Ministry, his immediate challenge will be to convince the Finance and Commerce Ministries to extend the minimum import price on more than 170 steel products.
“I’m result oriented and I will work towards making the sector better,” Singh said after taking charge. He added that he wants the make the steel sector progressive and globally competitive to face the challenges posed by the current world scenario with a futuristic roadmap.
Narendra Singh Tomar, who took charge as Rural Development Minister on Wednesday, said: “Steel is an important sector. It gives direct employment to 4-5 lakh people and indirect jobs to about 40 lakh. At present the sector is going through a stressful time globally as well as in India.”
On Singh’s new agenda is a financial package for the steel sector that is currently being worked out. The Minister got to work immediately and held an introductory meeting with senior Ministry officers. Secretary Steel Aruna Sundararajan briefed him about the functioning of the Ministry, its constituent eight PSUs and three technical institutions, the market scenario and future roadmap.