Consider the following statements with regard to a steel plant: I. It was setup in 1964 with Russian collaboration; II. It receives iron ore from the Rourkela region; III. Water and Hydel power is supplied by the Damodar Valley Corporation. Identify the Steel Plant on the basis of the above facts:
- (a)Bhilai Steel Plant
- (b)Bokaro Steel Plant
- (c)Rourkela Steel Plant
- (d)Durgapur Steel Plant
Correct — B, Bokaro Steel Plant. Bokaro, in Jharkhand, was set up in 1964 with Soviet (USSR) collaboration as India's fourth integrated public-sector steel plant. It draws its iron ore from the Kiriburu mines in the Bonai range near the Rourkela region and takes its water and hydel power from the Damodar Valley Corporation, so all three clues in the question point to Bokaro.
- (a)Bhilai Steel Plant — Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) was also built with Soviet help, but it was set up earlier, in 1955, and does not depend on the Damodar Valley Corporation, so the 1964 and DVC clues rule it out.
- (c)Rourkela Steel Plant — Rourkela (Odisha) was set up in 1959 with West German (Krupp-Demag) collaboration, not in 1964 with Soviet help, so it fails the date and partner clues.
- (d)Durgapur Steel Plant — Durgapur (West Bengal) was set up in 1959 with British collaboration; although it lies in the Damodar valley, it misses both the 1964 date and the Soviet-collaboration clue.
India's early integrated steel plants were built in the public sector (later under SAIL) with help from different countries: Rourkela with West Germany (1959), Durgapur with Britain (1959), Bhilai with the USSR (1955) and Bokaro with the USSR (1964). Each is tied to a particular coal, ore, water and power base.
The three facts act as a fingerprint. The 1964 date and Soviet collaboration separate Bokaro from Rourkela and Durgapur, while its reliance on the Damodar Valley Corporation for water and power, plus Kiriburu iron ore, distinguishes it from the earlier Soviet-built Bhilai. Only Bokaro satisfies all three.
- Bokaro Steel Plant, in Jharkhand, was set up in 1964 with Soviet (USSR) collaboration.
- It draws iron ore from Kiriburu in the Bonai range near the Rourkela region.
- Its water and hydel power come from the Damodar Valley Corporation.
- Rourkela used West German, Durgapur British and Bhilai Soviet collaboration in the 1950s.
- Bhilai and Bokaro were both Soviet-aided; the 1964 date and DVC power single out Bokaro.
- Rourkela used West German and Durgapur British collaboration — do not swap the partners.
Steel plants are tested by giving year, collaborating country and resource sources, then asking students to identify the plant.
With reference to the steel industry in India in recent times, consider the following statements: 1. Vizag Steel Plant (RINL) has been declared a Mini-Ratna. 2. Merger of IISCO with SAIL has been completed. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer(c) Both 1 and 2
Both draw on India's integrated steel industry. UPSC tests the public-sector steel majors (RINL/Vizag, SAIL, IISCO); the NDA item asks students to identify Bokaro from its 1964 Soviet origin, ore source and DVC power — the same SAIL steel-geography theme.
Identify the Iron and Steel Plant on the basis of the given characteristics: 1. It receives coal from Jharia and iron-ore from Sundargarh and Kendujhar. 2. Power for the electric furnaces is procured from Hirakund. 3. Water is obtained from Koel and Sankh rivers. Select the correct Iron and Steel Plant from the options given below:
- (a) Bhilai Steel Plant
- (b) Durgapur Steel Plant
- (c) Rourkela Steel Plant
- (d) Bokaro Steel Plant
Answer(c) Rourkela Steel Plant
The same 'name the SAIL steel plant from its resource clues' format. The 2024 item points to Rourkela through its coal, ore, power and river sources; the 2025 question points to Bokaro through its 1964 Soviet origin, Kiriburu ore and DVC power.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which steel plant was set up with West German collaboration?
- (a)Bhilai
- (b)Rourkela
- (c)Durgapur
- (d)Bokaro
Answer(b) Rourkela — the Rourkela Steel Plant (1959) was built with West German (Krupp-Demag) collaboration.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The Bokaro and Durgapur steel plants both draw water and power support from
- (a)the Bhakra-Nangal project
- (b)the Damodar Valley Corporation
- (c)the Hirakud project
- (d)the Tungabhadra project
Answer(b) the Damodar Valley Corporation — both plants lie in the Damodar basin served by the DVC.