During the inaugural address at the 12th edition of CII EXCON 2023, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari highlighted India's construction sector ranking as the third-largest globally and expressed ambitions to propel it to the top spot within the next five years through collaborative efforts. Emphasizing the sector's potential to contribute significantly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a carbon-neutral economy, Gadkari outlined the government's focus on sustainable fuels for major infrastructure and industrial projects. He urged the construction and mining sectors to adopt alternative fuels like ethanol, methanol, and hydrogen to reduce emissions, citing the detrimental impact of diesel consumption. Additionally, Gadkari endorsed precast concrete as a sustainable substitute and encouraged industry collaboration for the use of sustainable materials and alternative fuels. The 5-day CII EXCON 2023, South Asia's largest construction equipment trade fair, includes over 1,000 exhibitors and attracts global participation.
Key Points
1. Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced that India's construction sector currently holds the third-largest position globally and aims to become the top-ranked sector within the next five years through collaborative efforts.
2. Speaking at the 12th edition of CII EXCON 2023, South Asia’s largest construction equipment trade fair, Gadkari emphasized the construction sector's significant role in achieving the Prime Minister's vision of making India a carbon-neutral economy.
3. To reduce environmental impact, Gadkari highlighted the government's commitment to major infrastructure and industrial projects promoting the use of sustainable fuels like ethanol, methanol, and hydrogen.
4. Gadkari urged the construction and mining sectors to adopt alternative fuels, such as ethanol, methanol, and hydrogen, to reduce the environmental and economic impact caused by the consumption of 400 crore liters of diesel.
5. The minister advocated for the use of precast concrete as a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete and called for industry collaboration to enhance construction capabilities.
6. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry, stressed the need for private players in the construction sector to focus on automation, advanced technologies, global best practices, alternative fuels, and innovations using waste materials for sustainability and efficiency.
7. India's construction equipment industry currently exports to over 140 countries, according to Banerjee, who encouraged industry players to embrace global best practices and technology.
8. The CII EXCON, held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, features over 1,000 exhibitors, including 100 from overseas countries like Austria, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, South Korea, and the US.
9. Five Country Pavilions from France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and the UK are part of the exhibition, attracting over 80,000 business visitors globally.
10. Karnataka is the host state for EXCON 2023, with support from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries, and the National Highways Authority of India as key partners for the event.
(With Agency Inputs)
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