New Delhi: Dharmendra Pradhan, who took over the charge of the steel ministry on Friday, held a review meeting with senior officials and discussed key challenges being faced by the steel sector.
"Met with the officials of @SteelMinIndia (Ministry of Steel) and discussed strategic roadmap and key initiatives in the sector. Steel has been a major contributor in India's economy, we shall work to further strengthen Steel industry in India," Pradhan said in a tweet.
Several key points regarding the working of the ministry and various sectoral functions were discussed at length by the both Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State for State Faggansingh Kulaste, Ministry of Steel said in a separate tweet.
Steel Secretary Binoy Kumar along with other senior officials were present in the meeting.
Besides Steel Minister, Pradhan, 50, is also the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas in the NDA-II government.
The Indian steel industry is claiming that they are facing imminent threat from increasing imports especially from Iran.
Apex industry body Indian Steel Association (ISA) has said imports are rising in India due to the ongoing tariff war between the US and China.
In trade parlance, tariff war refers to significant increase in import duties.
It said Iran is exporting steel into India in contravention of the US' sanction via UAE.
In a letter to Steel Secratary Binoy Kumar, it has said, "These imports which are coming in at a predatory prices have become a serious concern for ISA. It is alarming that the UAE is a net importing country but the exports from UAE has suddenly surged by 390 per cent in 2018-19 from 2016-17."
According to data from the steel ministry, imports of finished steel jumped 46 per cent to 0.70 million tonne in March.
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