HD Kumar Swami Tours IISCO, Reviews Blast Furnace and COB-12 Project
On Sunday, Union Minister for Steel H.D. Kumar Swami began his three‑day trip to West Bengal with a thorough assessment of the IISCO Steel Plant in Burnpur. The minister’s first stop was the inauguration of a newly constructed reinforced cement concrete (RCC) water reservoir, which can store up to 84,000 cubic metres. The reservoir is intended to fulfill the water requirements of the C.O.B‑10 unit and to assist a forthcoming 4.08 MTPA expansion under the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
Officials briefed the minister on the integrated water‑management infrastructure that now includes a booster pump house, a purpose‑built C.O.B‑10 pump house and an in‑progress process‑water pump house. These components will operate as a closed‑loop system, aiming to curb water wastage, improve plant efficiency and enhance overall operational throughput.
The minister then inspected the C.O.B‑12 (Stamp Charge Coke Oven Battery) project, one of the flagship capacity‑enhancement initiatives at IISCO. Senior managers detailed progress on the battery proper, the coke dry‑cooling plant, by‑product recovery facilities and modern environmental control mechanisms, all designed to foster sustainable steel production and boost output.
A detailed walkthrough of the blast furnace followed, where performance data and modernization measures were examined. Plant officials disclosed that the furnace produced 2.9 million tonnes of hot metal in FY 2025‑26, indicating a consistent upward trend in productivity. The minister observed live operations from the blast furnace control room and conversed with engineers overseeing the unit.
The visit concluded with a comprehensive performance review meeting attended by SAIL Chairman Ashok Kumar Panda, the plant director‑in‑charge and other senior executives. The dialogue covered production metrics, capital expenditure, technology adoption and future growth plans. Capital spending for FY 2025‑26 rose dramatically to ₹1,860 crore from ₹689 crore in the previous year, underscoring the government's resolve to strengthen the public‑sector steel ecosystem.