The construction business is limping back as operations have started under the shadow of the pandemic.
To revive the construction industry, the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) in collaboration with Government of Goa, Vibrant Goa and other bodies will be hosting an online international conference and exhibition during the first week of December (December 1-5) to celebrate India Construction Week. About 8000 participants from India and over 35 countries around the globe have already registered to attend this event.
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Niti Aayog, jointly with the Indian construction industry has set up Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) to take up activities for the development of the Indian construction industry. The council, for the first time in the country, provides the impetus and the organisational infrastructure to raise quality levels across the industry. This helps to secure wider appreciation of the interests of construction business by the government, industry and peer groups in society.
“What we need are collaborative and joint actions by constituents. These, irrespective of the presence of pandemic, will hasten the industry recovery process bringing our industry back to its pre-COVID status as quickly as possible. These acts would have to focus on the current situations, evolve recovery guidelines, systems and procedures to address emergencies of various types that have evolved in almost all segments of construction industry, and create or rejuvenate networks of individuals and bodies to meet the challenges in the post-COVID-19 world,” the Director General of CIDC, Dr P R Swarup, told Herald.
Such actions could be successfully achieved by leveraging the synergy of existing professional organisations of engineering trade serving construction industry. The targets set by the government for various sub-sectors of construction seems to have been overtaken by the COVID-19 crisis. These need to be reviewed and specific targets set under the changed circumstances. Due to the reduced capacity of the industry and the financing institutions, interaction of the government with the industry constituents seems necessary on the way forward.
The event will also showcase the current potential of the industry in the recovery process. Industry is looking for a clearer roadmap being laid-down by the government for revival of the sector. Participants from Government of India and abroad have been invited on this platform to discuss the way ahead for revival of the economy.
These issues and some other topical issues shall also be taken up during the course of the conference. Among various unprecedented situations faced by the infrastructure construction sector due to COVID-19, financing of new projects and bank guarantees, limits and liquidity etc of the on-going projects are facing challenges. Similarly, banks are facing problems due to the risks involved in recovery from the infra sector together with the legacy NPA issues. “We are deeply engaged in discussions with banks to discuss the way forward on such issues which affect all stakeholders,” added Dr Swarup.
Newer Technologies will be presented as well as skilling and re-skilling of variety of manpower for construction, infrastructure industry will be identified. It will include all stakeholders right from Central and State government, planners, industry organisations and stakeholders, besides academics. At the end of the deliberations, specific road map with recommendations for revival and growth of this important sector will be presented to the State and Central government as well as other stakeholders.
Rasik Naik the event coordinator stated that the, “Real estate industry in Goa, MSME and especially tourism sectors need special hand holding being the main stay in the economy of Goa. The participants from these subsectors are especially encouraged to participate and deliberate for preparing the blue print.”
In view of the economic activities associated with infrastructure in all the major sectors, Goa Government is concerned with construction and Infrastructure industry effectively playing its important role in the rejuvenation of economy and the recommendations that may emerge from the deliberations for each sector and in general will be useful for the road ahead.
“After a successful Vibrant Goa Global Expo and Summit 2019, we now propose to tie up with the organisations and stakeholders in specific sectors and facilitate connections, deliberations and recommendations for the growth of the sectors. Supporting CIDC’s initiative of the ‘Construction Week’ with a focus on Goa, is in line with this approach,” said Rajkumar Kamat, president of Vibrant Goa Foundation.
Samir Surlaker and engineer by profession and CIDC’s chief co-ordinator and head of the sectional steering committee for ‘Goa’ has been promoting CIDC’s India Construction Week 2020 for development of opportunities in construction across Goa. With concentrated efforts by industry stalwarts, through Vibrant Goa Foundation, the Government of Goa has consented to Partner the event.
“ICW 2020 is a multi-faceted event that will help participants to network with key policy and decision makers from across India and the world. The event would help Goa showcase its resources as a State to welcome stakeholders in construction from across the world to Goa. Goa has advantage of natural beauty, peace loving people with excellent law and order. Above All Goans are highly educated and very capable of handling any business. We should promote these positives to attract investments in all sectors,” added Surlaker.
This event is likely to boost sectors like real-estate, infrastructure, tourism and allied areas. “Skilling programs for Goa would be a discussion point during the event and students and young professionals are being encouraged to attend, to enhance their employment potential. These actions are aimed at rejuvenating and bolstering the economy in Goa. Revival is in benefit of all,” said Surlaker.
