Ludhiana, September 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Ludhiana Beopar Mandal (LBM) has mounted a strong attack on the Centre’s steel trade policy, demanding removal of anti-dumping and safeguard duties on imported steel and alleging that protection given to large domestic producers is raising raw material costs for MSMEs and consumers.
The traders’ body contended that restrictions intended to protect primary steel manufacturers from cheaper imports were ultimately being paid for by manufacturers further down the supply chain as well as ordinary consumers.
LBM President Maninder Pal Singh said the impact extended well beyond steel-consuming industries, arguing that higher input costs eventually affect the prices paid by people for housing and manufactured goods.
“While the Government promotes ‘Vocal for Local,’ its policies have turned into ‘Expensive for Local,’” Singh said.
He questioned why consumers and MSMEs should have to bear higher steel costs in order to protect major domestic steel companies from international competition.
LBM Seeks Removal of Import Duties
At the centre of LBM’s demands is the removal of anti-dumping and safeguard duties applicable to imported hot-rolled flat products and construction steel.
The organisation argued that Indian manufacturers dependent on steel face a competitive disadvantage when overseas manufacturers are able to procure the same basic input at international prices.
For export-oriented MSMEs in particular, LBM maintained that elevated domestic raw material costs could erode their ability to compete with manufacturers operating in other countries.
Ludhiana has a substantial base of small and medium industrial units across engineering and manufacturing sectors, making the price of steel a significant concern for local industry.
Raises Competition Concerns
LBM also invoked regulatory scrutiny of the domestic steel industry by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) while making its case against protective import measures.
The organisation alleged that restrictions on competing imports, combined with concentration among primary producers, were creating conditions in which domestic steel prices could remain artificially high.
It called upon the Centre to reconsider trade measures that, according to the Mandal, insulate large steel producers from international competition while transferring higher costs to downstream manufacturers.
LBM further demanded greater transparency in the domestic distribution system.
It wants MSMEs and local stockists to have non-discriminatory access to purchase steel directly from primary mills, arguing that unnecessary intermediary layers add to the final cost of raw material.
Appeal to Opposition Parties, MPs
Taking the issue beyond Ludhiana’s industrial sector, LBM appealed to Opposition parties and Members of Parliament across the country to raise the matter at the national level.
The organisation described high raw material costs as an issue affecting construction, automobile components, engineering, infrastructure and other steel-dependent sectors.
“This is a national economic emergency affecting construction, auto parts, engineering, and infrastructure across India,” the Mandal leadership said.
It urged Opposition leaders and parliamentarians to publicly take up the concerns of MSMEs and press for withdrawal of anti-dumping duties on industrial raw materials.
‘Why Must Common Man Pay?’
Maninder Pal Singh said the consequences of steel prices eventually reach households as well.
“A common citizen saving for decades to build a home is hit directly by these price surges,” he said.
He questioned whether industrial policy should primarily protect large primary steel manufacturers or ensure competitively priced raw materials for Indian manufacturers and consumers.
“Why are 150 crore Indians being forced to pay inflated rates for basic steel inputs just to guarantee the balance sheets of primary steel conglomerates?” Singh asked.
LBM said the Centre should review its steel import policy from the perspective of the entire manufacturing chain rather than viewing protection of domestic primary steel production in isolation.
The Mandal maintained that making competitively priced steel available to MSMEs was essential if the government wanted domestic manufacturers to remain competitive both within India and in export markets.
FOLLOW NOW
