Product Innovation is Key to Address Environmental Concerns of Infrastructure Projects [25 November 2011]

November 25, 2011 5:12 am

“Product innovation in the earthmoving and construction equipment industry is the key to address the growing energy efficiency and environmental concerns around infrastructure projects in India, ,” Subhash Chandra Khuntia, IAS, Principal Secretary to Public Works Department, Government of Karnataka, said.
Delivering his Chief Guest address at the inaugural session of the Conference on ECE Industry: Vision 2020 & Beyond, a two-day conference, being jointly organized by Indian Earthmoving & Construction Industry Association (IECIAL) and Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr Khuntia said that India’s product requirements are very unique, and diverse. The Indian customers are looking for more versatile, and cost effective products. Therefore the manufacturers have to disaggregate the market to meet the different types of customer needs.
He pointed out that the end users are becoming quality conscious. “About ten years ago, people in villages wanted some road access but today they are demanding us for quality roads,” he said. Karnataka alone is planning to develop 15,000 kms of State Highways in the next two years. The State government is pooling resources to fund the road project. It had obtained loans from World Bank, and Asian Development Bank, and floated Karnataka Road Development Corporation to focus on creating innovative methods of financing.
Mr Khuntia said that the demand for construction equipment industry in India is going to last for a very long time, as the country has to build thousands of kilometers of better roads, expansion and construction of a large number of ports, airports, power projects. He urged the equipment industry to train people by creating training, capacity development initiatives to meet the growing demand for jobs in the infrastructure sector.

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