KOLKATA | June 16, 2017: The Steel Ministry wants Coal India to put in place more coal washeries in order to reduce import of coking coal.

"The replacement of raw material for steel (coking coal), which is being procured from Australia, is important. We have asked Coal India and the Coal Ministry that there should be washeries at pit heads for washing thermal coal to convert this coal as a replacement for coking coal," Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said here today on the sidelines of the foundation stone laying ceremony of MSTC's corporate office at Rajarhat.

"With this, we are hoping to replace 25-30 per cent of coking coal," he said.

Singh said there has been a focus on pelletisation of iron ore fines to reduce import cost.

"We have told steel producing PSUs to use that (pellets of iron ore fines)," he said.

Singh expected that the focus on housing for all and infrastructure by the Centre will create an additional demand of around Rs 40,000 crore worth of steel in the country.

The National Steel Policy-2017 projects crude steel capacity of 300 million tonnes and a robust finished steel per capita consumption of 158 kg by 2030-31, as against the current consumption of 61 kg.

(Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/)