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Steel makers agree to keep prices in check

Transportation cost for rural areas to be absorbed

NEW DELHI: Major steel producers have agreed to keep a check on the prices of steel, following an appeal by Union Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the steel producers held on Friday under the chairmanship of Steel Secretary R. S. Pandey.

The meeting was convened to address the issue of rising prices of steel.

The steel producers decided to make available items of common consumption in the rural districts/blocks through their dealer network at the same price as applicable at metros.

Among the decisions taken at the meeting were that the cost of transportation and distributors/wholesalers' margin would be borne by the producers. This would result in relief of about Rs. 600 to Rs. 1,000 a tonne to the individual customer in the hinterland.

It was further agreed that the concern of the common man would be kept in view by the producers, while fixing prices of such items.

All the main producers will adopt villages around their plants and as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR), help develop these villages as model steel villages.

Appropriate schemes in the areas of health, education, livelihood promotion through agriculture and/or small-scale industries will be drawn up preferably in conjunction with the Government's development schemes operated in the area.

In such endeavours, use of steel will specially be made in items such as storage bins, bullock carts, buildings such as schools, panchayat halls, health centre buildings, water tanks and sheds. — UNI

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