Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy, during a key visit to the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), highlighted its vital role in India’s industrial progress and announced an extensive expansion and modernisation roadmap. Calling RSP a pillar of India’s steel sector, he described his visit to the country’s first public sector integrated steel plant as a “proud moment”. He noted that for over six decades, the plant had not only operated but thrived, emerging as a major force in the domestic steel industry. The Minister commended the commitment and performance of the RSP workforce, praising improvements in production, productivity and techno-economics. During his visit, he inaugurated the new 1 MTPA Slab Caster at Steel Melting Shop-2, built with a capital expenditure of Rs 11 billion, and reviewed progress at the Coke Oven Battery 7 and the upcoming Pellet Plant. Emphasising strong raw material growth, he noted that the Odisha Group of Mines had increased production by over 5 per cent this year and was on track to exceed nearly 15 million tonnes in FY 2025–26, reinforcing raw material security for RSP. Outlining the future growth strategy, the Minister announced plans to double RSP’s capacity with an investment of about Rs 300 billion. He also confirmed a separate modernisation programme of Rs 90 billion, aimed at ensuring the plant remains globally competitive and future-ready. He added that the Ministry was closely coordinating with the Odisha Government to ensure smooth and efficient progress of the expansion efforts. Discussing wider regional benefits, Shri Kumaraswamy stressed the socioeconomic gains the project would generate, including employment opportunities for local youth, greater avenues for MSMEs and broader community development. He said the expanded capacity would position RSP as a leading producer of high-quality and special steel. Aligning the expansion with national objectives, he referred to the National Steel Policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which targets raising India’s steel capacity to 300 million tonnes by 2030–31. Reducing import dependence and boosting specialty steel through the PLI Scheme, he said, were essential parts of this mission. Reaffirming his confidence in the region’s industrial trajectory, he concluded that Rourkela was poised to become one of India’s premier steel hubs, with progress at RSP set to benefit the city, the state and the nation.