PM to meet mines, steel, MSME ministries on June 27

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to meet ministers and secretaries of mines, steel and MSME ministries, among others, on June 27 to discuss sectoral problems and draw roadmap to revitalise the sectors.

Labour and Textiles ministries will also be part of the meeting with Prime Minister, who will take stock of their activities as well.

Though presentations on the activities of the departments would be made by their respective secretaries, the Prime Minister wants all the senior and junior ministers concerned be present, said a source in one of the ministries called for the meeting.

"These presentations will be made before the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has desired that all ministers and MoSs be present during these presentations," he said.

The 10-slide presentation by each ministry is likely to highlight their role and functions, current scenario of the respective sectors, achievements, concerns arising out of the recent developments, gap between aspiration and outcome and the next five-year agenda.

The Cabinet Secretariat had earlier asked the Secretaries to prepare a 10-slide presentation for the Prime Minister listing success and failures of the past regime as well as points of action for the next five years.

The Steel Ministry is likely to flag issues such as shortage of iron ore, discrimination in the allocation of coal to steel vis-a-vis power sector. Proposal to transfer public sector coking coal companies like BCCL to the steel ministry may also be on the cards.

The Mines Ministry may pitch for reopening of the closed iron ore mines and need for reducing export duty on the key steel-making raw material from 30 per cent now.

Textiles Ministry may seek increase in incentives for the labour-intensive sector to boost exports and seek enhancing allocation for the Technology Up-gradation Fund Scheme (TUFS).

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ministry is presently being governed by the industrial policy as it does not have a policy of its own. It may highlight the need for a separate policy in the presentation.

Also, plans elaborating how the sector could be a medium to reduce poverty and generate employment may be on the cards.