While addressing the 95th FICCI Annual convention, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said, “We are making world standard road infrastructure in the country and promise you that before the end of 2024, our road infrastructure will be equal to American standards.”
In March 2022, he had said in the winter session of Lok Sabha that “to make India prosperous, I will ensure that before December 2024, India’s road infrastructure will be like that of America”. However, he added, “Our logistics cost is a big problem. Presently, it comes to 16 percent, but I am promising you that by the end of 2024, we will take it to 9 percent.”
He added “India is on the road to building an inclusive Bharat by following the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by boosting investment, economic growth, and employment creation to achieve sustainable development. However, we need to have cooperation, coordination and communication between all stakeholders. We know that the construction industry not only contributes significantly to environmental pollution but also conserves 40 percent of global materials and resources. We aim to reduce the cost of resources and improve the quality of construction. We are trying to minimise the use of steel in construction work by adopting substitutes.”
Being one of the fastest growing countries globally, India plays a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda, 2030. According to United Nations Global Compact, 50 percent of the delivery of global goals is expected to come from the progress made in India.
Stress on Green Hydrogen
Green hydrogen is the fuel of the future. India is in an excellent position to shape itself as an energy exporter and this can only be possible due to the potential of green hydrogen in India. In the near future, it will be a source of energy in the aviation, railway, road transport, chemical and fertiliser industries. India is likely to become a global manufacturing hub and exporter of green hydrogen in near future. Sustainability is also increasingly recognised as an important part of the construction industry.
