Sandeep Poundrik Assumes Role as Secretary of the Ministry of Steel

Shri Sandeep Poundrik has officially taken over as the Secretary of the Ministry of Steel, succeeding in his role at Udyog Bhawan. A 1993-batch IAS officer from the Bihar cadre, Poundrik was welcomed by senior officials of the Ministry upon his appointment.

Previous Roles and Experience

Poundrik’s extensive background includes serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Industries Department of the Bihar government, with additional responsibilities in various other governmental roles. He also has experience as an Advisor in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs and as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Immediate Actions and Sector Review

Following his assumption of office, Poundrik convened a meeting with senior Ministry officials to review the progress and developments within the steel sector in India.

Steel Production Growth

The steel industry has shown remarkable growth, with crude steel production reaching 144.3 million tonnes (Mt) in the fiscal year 2023-24, a significant increase from 109.14 Mt in 2019-20, according to data from the Joint Plant Committee (JPC). This growth highlights the sector’s robust performance over the past four years.

Government Initiatives and Impact

The Indian government has been instrumental in fostering a favorable policy environment for the steel sector.

Key initiatives include

Infrastructure Development: The Gati-Shakti Master Plan and the ‘Make in India’ campaign have boosted steel consumption and demand, particularly in rural areas.

Rural Housing Projects: Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the Ministry of Steel has launched a project to develop designs for Aanganwadis and houses utilizing structural steel, aimed at enhancing steel use in rural housing and increasing overall demand.