Centre to address coal shortage at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said negotiations are underway with the Union ministry of coal for uninterrupted supply of coking coal to the Steel Plant.
Published: 14th March 2023 08:12 AM | Last Updated: 14th March 2023 08:12 AM | A+A A-
Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. (File Photo | EPS)
VIJAYAWADA: The Centre is taking measures to address the issues of shortage of coking coal and iron ore at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia said in response to a query raised by Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy in the Parliament on Monday.
The minister further said though steel plant was modernised to handle 7.3 million tonnes of steel, the production was not expanded.
Vijayasai Reddy had pointed out that not even one-third of the expanded capacity was being realised at the Steel Plant. 
Scindia explained that by modernising blast furnace and steel melting machine, the capacity of VSP has increased, but not production.
Further, he said the issue of equipment corroding was taken into consideration, as the plant was located on the sea cost, while modernising the plant.
Elaborating on the production issue, the minister said negotiations are underway with the Union ministry of coal for uninterrupted supply of coking coal to the Steel Plant. Further, Odisha government was requested to allocate an iron ore block specially for VSP.
