On Tuesday, India's Minister of State for Steel, Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, stated in parliament that the government is not currently considering a merger between state-owned iron ore miner National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) and pellet producer Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL). 

He clarified that the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) under the Finance Ministry will handle decisions on privatizing or merging state-owned enterprises.