Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy inaugurated an 84,000 cubic metre Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) water reservoir at SAIL's IISCO Steel Plant in Burnpur, West Bengal, during a three-day visit to review the plant's expansion and modernisation initiatives.

The newly commissioned reservoir has been developed to meet the water requirements of the COB-10 project while supporting the plant's proposed 4.08 MTPA expansion. The integrated water management system includes booster and process water pump houses designed to improve water conservation and operational efficiency through a closed-loop circulation system.

During the visit, the minister also reviewed progress on the COB-12 Stamp Charge Coke Oven Battery Project, inspected blast furnace operations and assessed ongoing capacity expansion, sustainability and technology initiatives. He emphasised the importance of timely execution of strategic projects to strengthen India's steel manufacturing capabilities.

Officials informed the minister that IISCO produced 2.9 million tonnes of hot metal in FY2025-26 and achieved 108 percent of its rated hot metal and crude steel capacity, along with 109 percent of its saleable steel capacity. The plant also increased its capital expenditure to Rs 1,860 crore during FY2025-26, compared with Rs 689 crore in the previous financial year.

Kumaraswamy also interacted with employees and labour union representatives, reiterating the government's commitment to worker welfare, industrial safety and the modernisation of public sector steel plants as part of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.