The Centre, on Wednesday, requested secondary steel manufacturers to keep the steel prices under control and said the steel ministry is equally aware of the problems being faced by the producers.

“I request all steel manufacturers to ensure prices do not shoot up further,” Union Minister of State for Steel Jitin Prasada told a gathering of industrialists during an interactive session at the Merchant Chambers of Commerce here.

The government, he maintained, is certainly aware that the steel prices have shot up in the international market; but it is the ‘duty’ of the government to keep inflation under control for ‘aam aadmi’.   

Stating that the government was seized of their problems, Mr Prasada claimed that the steel ministry, during a recent meeting in Bangalore, has decided to curb the presence of middle-man in the iron-ore trade. 

Iron-ore is a key raw material for steel producers and the spiralling prices have put them under tremendous pressure to hike steel prices. Hinting that the government might act as an intermediary between the iron-ore sellers and steel producers, he said the aim is to ensure the prices are kept within a moderate limit. 

On export of iron-ore, he said, “We feel export of iron-ore need to be slow-downed and ought to attract duty.”  Stating steps have been taken to allay fears of foreign investors, he said the Centre would allow export of iron-ore fines as the same is not  utilised in India on a mass scale.