Gadkari calls for cheaper options to cement, steel to reduce prices
Cement

Gadkari calls for cheaper options to cement, steel to reduce prices

The Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) said he has asked some people from Indian Institutes of Technology to carry out research on alternatives to ceme...

The Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) said he has asked some people from Indian Institutes of Technology to carry out research on alternatives to cement and steel. Amid rising steel prices in the country, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on last Monday highlighted the need to explore alternatives to steel as well as cement, for bringing down their prices. The Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) said he has asked some people from Indian Institutes of Technology to carry out research on alternatives to cement and steel. “Steel prices have increased by 65 per cent in the last six months,” Gadkari said adding that the steel and cement rates will reduce once cheaper alternatives are available. Addressing an event to launch products prepared under the Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana, the minister also cited the example of soyabean cakes. He said when used for mass consumption, they can be served as cheaper alternatives to mutton while alleviating the problem of malnutrition, due to their high protein content of 49 per cent. “I believe that chicken and mutton are spoiling our mindset,” the minister said. He, however, added that this should not become a controversial matter, as even though he is a vegetarian, a lot of people in the country are non-vegetarian. Gadkari also said lakhs of jobs could be created by empowering the village industry, which has the potential of achieving the annual turnover of Rs 5 lakh crore. He added that by exploring new marketing avenues and export potential, the contribution of India’s MSMEs could further be increased from 30 per cent at present to 40 per cent in the next 5 years.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code