SAIL, which is implementing a Rs 72,000 crore modernisation and expansion plan, intends to augment its hot metal capacity from the present 14 million tonne to 19.5 million tonne by September 2014.

As per its Rs 72,000 crore proposed expansion plan, SAIL has planned to ramp up the hot metal capacity to 23.5 million tonne, in FY16. For the purpose, the company has invested Rs 53,270 crore till March 2014.

Further, the company has also proposed to increase the capacity to 50 million tpa by 2025, with an investment of Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The proposed expansion plan is in line with the government's plan of enhancing India's steel making capacity from the existing 85 million tpa to 300 million tpa, by 2025.

In FY14, SAIL commissioned projects worth Rs 6,500 crore, resulting in the addition of 2.5 million tonne hot metal capacity. The projects include a new blast furnace and slab caster at Rourkela; a new ore handling plant, and sinter machine at Bhilai; and a revamped coke oven battery at Durgapur.