New Delhi: Ministry of Steel will conduct an Open House to discuss issues related to the import of steel on October 28, according to an official statement issued on Friday.
“The Open House will be conducted from 11:00 am to 5:00 am at Steel Room, 3rd Floor, GPOA- 3, Netaji Nagar New Delhi and specific time slots will be indicated via e-mail. Walk-ins will not be possible due to logistic challenges and only one representative per organisation is permitted to ensure wider participation,” the statement said.
It is advised that any company or association having issues related to SIMS, SARAL SIMS, and QCO Exemption for the import of steel may send their request via e-mail by October 26, 2026, 12:00 noon to get confirmed time-slots.
To participate in the Open House, e-mails may be sent for getting a confirmed time slot on the scheduled date, according to the statement.
While sending the e-mail, the company or association will have to provide information about the type of industry and product such as auto, aerospace, telecom or defence.
“The issue involved must be briefly stated and should not exceed 50 words. Name and designation of participant and contact details including the mobile number and e-mail have to be provided,” the statement said.
The ministry has also made it clear that third party representation is not allowed at the open house.
SIMS, SARAL SIMS, and QCO Exemption are regulatory frameworks introduced and updated by the Ministry of Steel to monitor and streamline iron and steel imports while reducing compliance burdens for small and export-oriented enterprises.
The SARAL SIMS has been introduced to simplify the process of compulsory registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) for imports of small consignments of iron and steel items by MSMEs and other small importers as well as imports made under Advance Authorization, SEZ and EOU route for export purposes.
A QCO (Quality Control Order) is a mandatory regulatory instrument issued by the Ministry of Steel. It requires all domestic and foreign steel producers to obtain a valid Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) license and display the ISI mark to prove their products meet designated Indian Standards.
Meanwhile, the growth rate of India’s core sector industries surged to a 30-month high of 7.9 per cent in September, compared to the same month of the previous year, driven by the strong performance of the iron ore, electricity, coal refinery products, cement, and steel sectors.
The cement sector clocked a robust growth of 10.3 per cent while steel production was up 4.9 per cent during the month, as demand stayed buoyant due to large government investments in big-ticket infrastructure projects such as highways, ports and railways.
(IANS)
