Hamirpur, September 10, 2026: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel, chaired by former Union Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament Anurag Singh Thakur, concluded its study visit to Kochi with three important meetings focused on strengthening India’s mineral and steel capabilities.
On the concluding day, the Committee reviewed the functioning of key public sector undertakings under the Ministry of Mines, including National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) and Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL). Anurag Singh Thakur and committee members interacted with senior officials to assess production capacity, operational efficiency, expansion plans and strategic initiatives required to meet India’s growing demand for non-ferrous metals, which are critical for industrial manufacturing and the clean energy transition.
The Committee then held two detailed sessions with the Ministry of Steel and representatives of KIOCL Ltd., MSTC Ltd. and MECON Ltd. on strengthening national supply chains and infrastructure. Discussions focused on upgrading iron ore handling infrastructure in India, identified as crucial for reducing logistics costs and improving operational efficiency.
In the final session, the Committee comprehensively reviewed the functioning of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) and NMDC Steel Ltd. (NSL). Anurag Singh Thakur stressed the need to modernise operational frameworks, promote self-reliance in steel production and ensure that these strategic industries continue to contribute effectively to India’s infrastructure and economic growth targets. He underlined the importance of further strengthening the mineral and steel sectors in line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
