Bokaro, Nov. 2: Bokaro Steel Plant is banking on a new mantra, “Service with a Smile”, to ensure it can reap the full benefits of the ongoing modernisation and expansion project aimed at enhancing production capacity from 4.6 million tonne to 6 million tonne within three years.

Encouraged by the increase in production, which helped Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), achieve a profit of Rs 1,663 crore in the second quarter — 25 per cent more than first quarter figures — Bokaro Steel Plant MD Virendra Kumar Srivastav emphasised the need for increasing profitability to generate funds for the massive modernisation plans.

Addressing workers, Srivastav said though the scenario within the steel industry was improving gradually, it would take a lot more time for demand and price to reach the old levels seen about three years ago.

The “Service with a Smile” slogan was adopted by the Bokaro plant’s human resource department after which executives Rakhi Dey, Anju Singh, Poonam Singh and Vinita Singh organised a series of training sessions in the last few months explaining the idea to various sections of the staff.

Aimed at boosting the morale of employees and the quality of their lives, the slogan seeks to transform the behaviour of the services department towards workers toiling in tough conditions at steel melting shops, coke oven batteries, and finished production sites.

“Once a worker is met with a smiling face who seems willing to listen to his problems patiently, it has a highly positive influence on workers,” said Dey.

Side by side, the plant has been able to cut down on wasteful expenditure to the tune of Rs 100 crore by adopting stringent cost control measures, with emphasis on curbing wasteful expenditure.

Bokaro Steel Plant chief of communications Sanjay Tewary stressed that the new slogan has helped executives perform better. “Cost control has also helped the plant save crores of rupees which is a good beginning,” he added.