PM dedicates India's largest blast furnace plant to nation

May 10, 2015

Burnpur (West Bengal), May 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dedicated to the nation the upgraded IISCO Steel Plant (ISP), that houses the country's largest blast furnace and has been modernised by the central government at a cost of Rs.16,000 crore.India blast furnace

After modernisation, the plant's production capacity has increased from 0.85 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 2.9 mtpa.

"With immense joy I dedicate to the nation the modernised and expanded IISCO steel plant in Burnpur," Modi said at the function, attended by West Bengal Governor K.N.

Tripathi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, union Minister of State for Steel Narendra Singh Tomar, union Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo, senior bureaucrats and eminent persons.

Describing the prime minister together with all the chief ministers as "Team India", Modi said the plant showcased that centre and states together can solve all issues.

"This modern plant is an example of how Team India will take the country forward. This plant which was sick, is now standing powerfully on its feet. If the chief minister (Banerjee), the state (West Bengal) government had created hurdles, this wouldn't have been possible.

"This is the effort of team India that we are dedicating this plant to the country," said Modi at the function held at Asansol Polo Ground in Burdwan district.

Tomar said ISP has been reborn.

"(It) has the nation's largest blast furnace with a capacity to produce 2.9 million tonnes of steel. In times to come, the capacity of this steel plant will be increased," he said, adding India plans to attain a capacity to produce 300 million tonnes of steel by 2025 to meet industry demand.

"SAIL has set a target to achieve a production capacity of 50 million tonnes. As its capacity increases, West Bengal will benefit from it," he said.

The minister said the Durgapur steel plant of SAIL in the same district is also very old. "When the expansion and modernisation phase of the Durgapur plant starts, there will be an investment of Rs.35,000 crore in West Bengal."

Banerjee urged the central government to speed up the process of expanding SAIL's operations in Durgapur.

She recalled that there were talks of privatising IISCO in the past."This made the IISCO workers very downcast. In 1998, when we were supporting from outside the first NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, we had asked for a Bengal package. There we demanded that IISCO be modernised. It was then that the project was approved. The work that began in 2006-7 has now been completed."

Banerjee's Trinamool Congress said on its official Twitter handle that the state government has given 3,000 acres of land for the modernisation of the IISCO plant and another project by SAIL.

Indian Iron and Steel Company (IISCO) was taken over by the central government in 1972 as part of a nationalisation drive and made a fully-owned subsidiary of SAIL in 1978. It was thereafter renamed ISP.

The revamped plant in Burnpur is spread across 953 acres. It is the fifth integrated steel plant of SAIL.

A statement from SAIL said: "The modernised and expanded plant would produce high quality steel rebars including earthquake-resistant grades, wire rods and universal sections, including parallel flanged beams, for fulfilling the need of India's growing infrastructure and construction sector."

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 31: People offered Eid-al-Adha namaz while ensuring social distancing norms at mosques in Thiruvananthapuram and Mallapuram on Friday.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Thursday announced that the Eid-al-Adha prayers can be offered in mosques of the state on Friday with a limited number of people due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kerala is celebrating the festival of Eid-al-Adha on Friday.

Eid al-Adha or Bakrid, also known as "Sacrifice Feast" is marked by sacrificing an animal, usually a sheep or a goat to prove their devotion and love for Allah. Post the sacrifice, devotees distribute the offering to family, friends, neighbours and especially to the poor and the needy. 

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News Network
February 17,2020

New Delhi, Feb 17: Two alleged criminals were killed in an exchange of fire with the Special Cell of Delhi Police at Pul Pehlad Pur area in New Delhi on Monday morning, officials said.

The encounter took place around 5 am, they said.

Raja Qureshi and Ramesh Bahadur, who were injured during the encounter, were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were declared brought dead by doctors, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P S Kushwah said.

According to police, the two men were involved in multiple cases of murder and robbery.

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Agencies
June 25,2020

New Delhi, Jun 25: The Congress on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why has not India gained anything from the "strange bonhomie" which it claimed he shared with China.

Seeking to turn the tables on the ruling party, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the BJP also shared bonhomie with the Communist Party of China (CPC) with several party-level exchanges taking place in the past.

He sought to know whether India's borders have become safe after these exchanges in the last many years.

The Congress leader asked what has the country gained out of these exchange delegations and why are the borders insecure despite the bonds that the two ruling parties of India and China share with each other.

"There is a strange kind of bonhomie between Narendra Modi and China, a two decade old bonhomie. Why doesn't the country get the benefit of that bonhomie," he asked at a virtual press conference.

Khera said all that the Congress will continue to question is about the political will that just does not get visible when it comes to China.

"Whatever is happening on the border today, is it despite the bonhomie which you have with China, or is it because of the bonhomie which you have with China. The country needs to know," he asked.

"We do want to ask you, if as president of the party, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and Amit Shah have been sending delegations,  strengthening the bonds between the Communist Party of China and the BJP. What has the country gained out of these bonds? Why are the borders insecure despite these bonds that you have," he also asked.

The ruling has hit out at the Congress for signing an MoU with China's Communist Party and has questioned its "bond" with the ruling party in China.

Khera also asked what role did the India Foundation, an organisation run by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's son has in strengthening the bonds with China.

"Why does India Foundation keep visiting these countries? Who do they meet? What's the outcome? What's the role of NSA Ajit Doval's son- Shaurya Doval? He keeps attending these meetings through India Foundation? These are important questions in the light of what is happening," he asked.

Khera said the prime minister is showing "red eyes" to those who are asking him questions instead of showing them to the enemy.

"It is time to stand with the Army and show red eyes to China," he said.

The Congress leader said questions will be asked to Modi especially when there are definitive reports, satellite images of incursions in the Ladakh region of India by the Chinese.

He alleged that China laps up the comment of Modi and uses it across the world that the Indian prime minister says that China is in its own territory and Galwan is theirs.

"After a lot of pressure, PMO contradicted what the prime minister said. This kind of a goof up is unpardonable," he alleged.

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