Going full throttle on capacity expansion, restructuring and merging smaller PSUs and intensifying efforts to secure the Chiria mines for SAIL would be key goals for the steel ministry for the next 100 days. Interestingly, the ministry is reluctant to intervene in checking cheaper steel imports, saying there is no case for it as of now, an assertion that could trigger anger among leading utilities already demanding tightening of imports.

Indicating his ministry’s willingness to divest some stakes in its PSUs, steel minister Virbhadra Singh said “We have some PSUs in mind. We are talking to the finance ministry on the issue (of disinvestment). We will decide when the government lays a clear roadmap for it.”

Steel PSUs like SAIL, RINL and National Mineral Development Corporation would invest nearly Rs 13,000 crore this fiscal for their expansion and modernisation.