Mozambique Delegation Studies India's Panchayati Raj Model

07 Apr 2025 CW Team

On April 1, 2025, a high-level delegation from Mozambique visited India to explore its decentralised governance model, particularly the Panchayati Raj system. The interactive session was hosted by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) and led by Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, and Shri Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, MoPR. The Mozambican team was headed by Prof. Benigna Zimba, Coordinator of the Commission of Reflection on the Model of Decentralisation (CREMOD).

Shri Lohani provided an in-depth overview of India’s local self-governance journey, emphasising constitutional backing through the 73rd Amendment and the strong representation of women in local bodies. He highlighted key governance reforms over the last decade that have driven grassroots transformation.

Shri Nagar spoke on the operational mechanisms of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), with a focus on digital transformation and e-Governance, including initiatives like e-GramSwaraj integration with GeM. Topics such as capacity building, own-source revenue mobilisation, Finance Commission Grants, SDG localisation, and the PESA Act were also discussed.

The Mozambican delegation, which included government and CREMOD officials, expressed keen interest in India’s use of digital tools for enhancing efficiency and transparency and saw potential for adopting similar practices back home.

(PIB)

Real Estate

29 Oct 2025

iWO(R)K

It is commonly believed that technology is the key differentiator between a smart and an ordinary workspace. While that is true on one level, it isn’t the whole truth. Conceptually, smartness as associated with an office has evolved from technological novelty to holistic sustainability, workplaces that not only perform but also inspire, explains Dikshu Kukreja, Managing Principal, CP Kukreja Architects. “A truly smart workplace is not simply a matter of embedding devices or automated systems; it is about creating an ecosystem that balances digital intelligence, ecological sensiti..

Bentley’s AI-Driven Infrastructure Vision

Kaushik Chakraborty, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific & Japan, Bentley Systems, shares with PRATAP PADODE, Editor-in-Chief, CW, how Bentley is reshaping infrastructure. Through AI, model-centric workflows and innovation, technology is helping deliver projects faster, greener and more efficiently across regions.How does Bentley’s global strategy ensure its solutions meet diverse infrastructure needs?Bentley’s technology is designed to scale globally. Projects large and small – from a hotel in Udevo to a 350-km highway in Australia – demonstrate that technology is no bar..

Handling the Bottom Line

In a highly competitive construction environment, efficient material handling is “the silent engine of profitability”, to quote Vaibhav Kulkarni, General Manager Projects, JP Infra Realty. “It’s not just about moving materials from A to B but developing a strategy to minimise touchpoints, reduce waste and maximise spends.”Planning stageBefore investing in material, Kulkarni recommends designing the material flow. “Map the journey of major materials from the delivery point to their final placement,” he recommends. While doing this, “minimise double-handling and identif..