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Odisha will become the steel hub of India: Steel Minister
Angul (Odisha), June 16 (IANS) Odisha will be the steel hub of the country in the coming days, Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said on Saturday.
Asserting that 300 million tonnes of steel capacity will be produced by 2030, one-third of this will be produced in the eastern state, he said in his address at the dedication ceremony of four core steel manufacturing facilities at the 6 million tonne per annum integrated steel plant of Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) here.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was also present on the occasion.
The manufacturing units which were dedicated to the nation are India’s largest (4,554 cubic metre) blast burnace, India’s most modern (3 MTPA) basic oxygen furnace, worlds first and largest Syngas based (2 MTPA) DRI plant and world’s largest coal gasification plant for steelmaking based on indigenous coal, said a company statement.
Noting India imports about 80 per cent of coking coal worth Rs 20,000 crore, Singh said: “We remain dependent on imports but (JSSPL Chairman) Naveen (Jindal) has come out with a plan which can make us reduce this dependence.”
He added that the new technology of making steel by coal gasification helps in producing the metal using domestic coal.
Noting India has now emerged as the second-largest steelmaker in the world by superseding Japan, he said that the country aims to achieve 300 million tonnes of steel capacity by 2030, against the present level of about 134 million tonnes and that higher quality steel will be produced in the country with innovation, research and development on the sector.
Inaugurating the key steel manufacturing facilities, Pradhan said: “The steel industry is going to be a major contributor in employment generation in coming days. JSPL’s adoption of coal gassification as the technology for steel making is a path-breaking initiative.”
Jindal said: “This is for the first time that any company in India is using coal gasification method to make steel. We are hopeful that after one year we will be able to run the Angul plant in full capacity.”
The greenfield complex was initially conceived as India’s first and only steel plant to operate on purely indigenous raw material. Over time, the Angul steel plant has transformed into India’s most resilient steel-manufacturing destination, deploying a judicious mix of oxygen and electric steelmaking routes.
The 6 MTPA Integrated Steel Plant at Angul is the largest steel manufacturing plant in Odisha which has created 50,000 employment opportunities and anchors a socio-economic ecosystem of one lakh families.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.