IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY

The history of iron and steel industry in India is nearly 4000 years old. The famous iron pillar near Qutab Minar is dating back to 350 AD. The first attempt to produce iron and steel on modern lines was made in 1830 at Porto Nova, near Chennai (Tamil Nadu). But it was not successful as the smelting used to be done with the help of charcoal. Pig-iron was produced in 1874 for the first time by the Bengal Iron Works. The real progress in the iron and steel industry was made in 1907 when J.N. Tata established the smelting factory at Sakchi (the former name ofjamshedpur). Subsequently, the Indian Iron and Steel Company Ltd. (IISCO) was set up at Hirapur in 1918, and the Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Limited (VISL) at Bhadravati in 1923.

It was in the Second Five-Year Plan 1956-61, when tremendous progress was made by the iron and steel industry. It was during this plan, when integrated iron and steel plants were established at Bhilai, Durgapur, and Raurkela. The Bokaro Iron and Steel Plant was established with the help of Russian government in 1964. The Steel Authority of India (SAIL), was set up in January 1973. In the Fifth Five-Year Plan, it was resolved to set up four new iron and steel plants at Paradwip, Salem, Vijaynagar, and Vishakhapatnam. At present India is the 5th largest producer of crude steel in the world.