Goyal asks real estate developers to adopt environment-friendly construction techniques

New Delhi, Nov 25 (PTI) Amid concerns over high pollution levels in the national capital, Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday asked real estate developers to adopt environment-friendly construction techniques and suggested CREDAI to set up a team to study the adverse impact of construction activities on air quality of 20 major cities.
    Addressing realtors' apex body CREDAI's 25th foundation day, the Union Commerce and Industry Minister also asked developers to build affordable rental housing projects to prevent the proliferation of slums in urban centres.
    Goyal also suggested CREDAI members to consider venturing into overseas markets to tap opportunities in real estate development and redevelopment.
    "I had asked CREDAI to consider setting up a team to study whether, at least in the metropolitan cities or the 20 top towns of the country, where we can see the impact of construction leading to pollution, leading to air quality deteriorating."
    He stressed the need to adopt better construction techniques using steel and precast fabrication to curb pollution.
    The adoption of better techniques will increase the speed of construction.
    "So, you will be able to roll your capital. You will be able to grow your business much faster, satisfy your clients much better, and also have a much better quality of construction if we were to look at steel and precast structures voluntarily, at least in the city areas," the minister said.
    "I do believe this can help us reduce the AQI levels and pollution levels," he added.
    He urged CREDAI to take this up as a mission and report back to the government.
    Goyal also talked about the need for affordable rental homes.
    "Rental housing, I think that's another area where the government is also willing to come forward. We have launched a scheme earlier. You are willing to have a discussion with this, with your industry, how we can make affordable rental housing going forward and helping to make sure that nobody ever has to live in a slum," he said.
    Goyal said the government is trying to rehabilitate all slum dwellers with a proper home of their own in situ, exactly where they are staying or in and around that area.
    "I do think that if rental housing also were to be made available, we would be able to stop any further slums proliferating, particularly in the cities. These are areas where together we can do wonders," the minister said.
    Goyal also asked real estate developers to design and build net zero projects. He suggested builders to adopt holistic development with the provision of a host of green amenities, including adequate parking facilities, EV charging infrastructure and recycling of waste.
    The minister also emphasised the need for greater formalisation of the real estate sector.
    He asked CREDAI members to provide social security, healthcare facilities and post-retirement benefits to people working in the real estate sector.
    He suggested real estate developers ensure that their workers are enrolled in ESIC and EPFO.
    This will help the real estate industry in getting recognition for their contribution to employment generation, he added.
    Goyal noted that the new real estate law called RERA has helped in eliminating bad developers from the market and has enhanced the consumers' confidence that they will get their properties on time.
    He said the Modi government in the last 10 years has made a concerted effort to clean up the system and improve the ease of doing business.
    The bank's balance sheets have been strengthened and the NPAs have come down significantly, the minister added.
    Established in 1999, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) has more than 13,000 members from across the country.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)