The quality control order backed by Bureau of Indian Standards ratings will soon cover all steel products according to Minister for Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh.
Speaking at the first ISA Steel Conclave, Singh said, “Sixteen more steel products have been brought under the ambit of the quality control, taking the percentage of steel products under quality regime to 86 per cent. Our goal of 100 per cent quality in steel industry is not far now.”
Responding to queries regarding a recent report noting the rampant usage of inferior quality Thermo-Mechanically Treated (TMT) bars, Singh said, “We have introduced Bureau of Indian Standards specifications to cover almost 86 per cent of all steel products. The way things are going these issues will soon be eliminated.”
This report by the First Construction Council had noted that companies which are manufacturing the sub-standard quality of TMT bars need to correct it immediately and they should also examine the entire process.
According to the report, out of 26 brands which manufacture TMT bars, 18 brands were found to have quantity of sulphur and phosphorous higher than what was required, making the bars of a substandard quality. The finding came out after the council analysed 66 TMT bar samples which were manufactured by 26 brands.
Pratap Padode, Founder-President, First Construction Council said, “The construction core is being subject to a mockery through the use of inferior quality TMT rebars. Kolkata bridge fall, a foot over bridge collapse and caving-in of a car parking wall in Mumbai indicate that there is a dire need for better quality raw materials to enhance the life of concrete.” He said primary producers who use billets to produce the TMT bars should increase their capacity.
In first half of financial year 2018-2019, India produced 52 million tonnes of steel, registering a growth of 6 per cent over the same period last year.