BKT aims for 10% of India’s market share of highway tyre manufacturing

31 May 2022 CW Team

With revenue close to Rs 10 billion in India, Balkrishna Industries (BKT), an Indian multinational group and a global player in the off-the-road (OTR) tyre market, has announced a brownfield ramp-up of its Bhuj plant to increase tyre and carbon black capacity, including advance carbon black, and modernisation and automation of existing facilities. Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director, elaborates upon the company’s strategies to overcome challenges and the growing market in a conversation with Pratap Padode, Editor-in-Chief, CW.

As the pandemic is clearing up, can you share the challenges and opportunities that BKT has encountered?
The past two years have been unprecedented and challenging, both physically and mentally. There was so much anxiety among people as they spoke about the new normal. There have been many changes and we may take some time to adjust. Luckily, we are back in the real world and things have eased out. It was different for us in the past two years. First, we had to make many changes in our manufacturing site. There was social distancing at canteens, insistence on hygiene and sanitisation and the need to transport them from their home to the factory site. These were the factors we had to overcome; now that things are back to normal, people have adjusted. Today, we are at our highest from the pre-pandemic. We are nearly about…

To read the full interview, CLICK HERE

Infrastructure Urban

13 Mar 2026

Implementation Status of Jal Jeevan Mission

Since August 2019 the Government has implemented Jal Jeevan Mission to provide assured potable water through household tap connections in rural India. At the start of the mission only 32.3 million (mn) rural households, representing 16.7 per cent, were reported to have tap water connections. States and union territories have reported that 125.8 mn additional rural households have since been provided with tap connections. As a result, of about 193.6 mn rural households roughly 158.2 mn, or 81.71 per cent, are reported to have tap water supply at home.\n\nThe State, district and village level st..

Jal Jeevan Mission Reaches Eighty One Per Cent Rural Coverage

The Government reported substantial progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission, launched in August 2019 to provide tap water to every rural household. At launch only 32.3 million (mn) rural households had tap connections and states and Union territories reported provision of 125.8 mn additional households by March 2026. Consequently, out of about 193.6 mn rural households around 158.2 mn, or 81.71 per cent, are reported to have tap water at home. The Finance Minister announced extension of the mission until 2028 in the 2025-26 budget speech. The Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen, launched in October 20..

Empowering Local Governance for Sustainable Rural Water Supply

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has aligned the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) with the 73rd Amendment to strengthen village level planning and community ownership of water supply. Gram Panchayats, village water and sanitation committees and Pani Samitis are to plan, implement, manage and maintain piped water systems, with gram sabha processes formalising handover and oversight. Implementation support agencies including non government organisations, community based organisations and self help groups have been empanelled to train local committees and promote women participation. Under JJM, the department ..