The Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) held its 875th Mass Contact Exercise on July 22, 2025, focusing on cost control, operational efficiency, and workplace safety.
Addressing approximately 500 employees—including executive directors, chief general managers, department heads, and senior managers—Director In-Charge Alok Verma outlined the plant’s strategic objective: to become the lowest-cost steel producer in India by 2029. He emphasized the need to reduce costs associated with coke usage, raw materials, and procurement processes.
Verma also emphasized the need to improve key operational metrics, including a reduction in the coke-to-hot metal ratio, and stressed the importance of safety as a core operational value.
Performance awards were presented to the Raw Material Handling Plant (RMHP) and Hot Strip Mill-II (HSM-II) for being recognized as “cost champions” in the third and fourth quarters of FY2024–25. Verma also acknowledged employee performance during the first quarter of the current financial year.
As part of the event, a new dashboard developed by the Materials Management Department was launched on the RSP Portal. The tool is designed to enhance transparency and efficiency in material handling operations. Executive Director (Materials Management) Anil Kumar presented updates and outlined new departmental initiatives, while M. P. Singh reported on progress in improving the iron content of ore sourced from Odisha.
The session included an interactive segment where employees contributed suggestions on topics such as production, safety, health, and township infrastructure. Three employees received “Best Suggestor” awards in recognition of their contributions.
Other speakers included Tarun Misra, Executive Director (HR), and B. R. Palai, Executive Director (Works), who reinforced the need for continuous safety assessments and improvements in township facilities.
Rourkela Steel Plant is one of SAIL’s major integrated production units, with an annual capacity of 4.5 million tonnes of hot metal and 4.2 million tonnes of crude steel. Following recent expansion, the plant is pursuing modernization initiatives to enhance efficiency, product quality, and cost competitiveness.
