Bayyaram and Kadapa Steel plants: Centre says process is still on

New Delhi: The Union steel ministry denied the reports appearing in media to the effect that the Centre was against setting up of the steel plants in Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh and Bayyaram in Telangana here on Thursday.

In a statement  on Thursday, it said a task force constituted by the steel ministry was examining the feasibility of setting up steel plants in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by any interested parties at Bayyaram and Kadapa.

The task force comprising representatives from the Central government, the state Government and Central public sector enterprises under the ministry of steel was set up on October 19, 2016, to consider the feasibility issues and prepare a roadmap for setting up of steel plants.

“It has held a series of meetings since then which were attended by the representatives of the state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as well. The last meeting of the task force, being sixth in the series of meetings, was held on June 12, 2018.

The relevant data for preparation of the feasibility reports based on realistic assumptions is to be shared by the state governments with MECON (CPSE under ministry of steel) entrusted with the task,” said the statement.  

It further added that the “Ministry of steel is making sincere and relentless efforts in working out a feasible solution to make the project financially viable so as to bring about positive and sustainable development of not only Andhra Pradesh and Telangana but also the nation as a whole”.

“As per the Thirteenth Schedule of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) examined the feasibility of establishing an Integrated Steel Plant in YSR Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh and Khammam district of Telangana and submitted its report .