Union Minister of Steel and
Heavy Industries, released the second volume of the book “Safety Guidelines for
Iron of Steel Sector”
“The Guidelines will help iron and steel industry to become world class in
adopting safety standards and eliminating accidents”; Union Minister
Posted
On: 25 JUL 2024 5:09PM by PIB Delhi
Shri
H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries, launched SIMS
2.0, the upgraded Steel Import Monitoring System in the presence of Shri
Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries,
Shri Nagendra Nath Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, and other senior officials
from the Government of India.
SIMS, introduced in 2019, has played a crucial role in providing
detailed steel import data to the domestic industry. Based on industry feedback,
the Ministry has revamped the portal to develop a more effective SIMS 2.0, a
significant step forward in monitoring steel imports and promoting the growth
of the domestic steel industry. Availability of such detailed data not only
provides input for policy making but also signals areas for production and
growth to the domestic steel industry.
SIMS 2.0 features API integration with
multiple government portals, enhancing quality control and streamlining
processes for improved efficiency and effectiveness. The portal boasts a robust
data entry system, ensuring consistent and authentic data, which promotes
transparency and accountability. Integration of various databases enable
stakeholders to locate areas of risk and, thereby, permit better risk
management, e.g., if an import consignment declares a particular source of
import, which is not licensed by BIS, then Ministry will be enabled to not
recommend its import. The detailed data will enable Customs to conduct better
analysis and risk management of steel imports.
The
development of SIMS 2.0 is a collaborative effort, with contributions from the
DGFT, BIS, and MSTC Ltd., a CPSE under the Ministry of Steel.
Shri
H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Steel, emphasized that the launch of SIMS
2.0 is a key achievement, highlighting its inclusion in the Government of
India's 100-day agenda. He noted that this milestone represents a crucial step
forward in the nation's endeavour to bolster the domestic steel industry and
achieve self-sufficiency in steel production, aligning with the vision of
Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Shri
Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries,
said that this enhanced portal will provide stakeholders with actionable
intelligence and data-driven insights, enabling more effective decision-making
and strategic planning.
Shri
Nagendra Nath Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, pointed out that while India
maintains its position as the second-largest steel producer globally, the
country's finished steel imports remained significant at around eight million
tonnes in 2023-24, underscoring the need for enhanced domestic production
capabilities. Accurate monitoring of steel imports is vital to maintaining a
healthy trade balance, driving growth, and attracting sustained investment in
India's steel industry. He expressed confidence that the upgraded SIMS 2.0
would play a significant role in achieving these objectives.
Shri
H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries also released
the second volume of the book “Safety Guidelines for Iron of Steel Sector” containing
the guidelines for 16 different processes being used by the iron & steel
sector. It extends the work of the Steel Ministry of publishing 25 safety
guidelines in 2020 covering specific risks. Though these guidelines are
currently voluntary in nature, the industry has welcomed such guidelines, as
these have been generated through a consultation process. Besides addressing
safety, these guidelines will have a positive bearing on the productivity.
The
Minister said “I am happy to release this book and hope that these guidelines
will be widely adopted by the iron & steel industry and help the industry
to become world class in adopting safety standards and eliminating accidents.”