Global Housing Technology Challenge – India

MoHUA has initiated the Global Housing Technology Challenge – India (GHTC India) which aims to identify and mainstream a basket of innovative construction technologies from across the globe for housing construction sector that are sustainable, eco-friendly and disaster-resilient. They are to be cost effective and speedier while enabling the quality construction of houses, meeting diverse geo-climatic conditions and desired functional needs. Future technologies will also be supported to foster an environment of research and development in the country. GHTC- India aspires to develop an eco-system to deliver on the technological challenges of the housing construction sector in a holistic manner.

Hon’ble Prime Minister of India inaugurated the Construction Technology India- 2019, a global Expo-cum-Conference, which was organized on 2-3 March 2019 in New Delhi. 60 Exhibitors with 54 proven technologies from 25 countries showcased their technologies in the Expo. Prime Minister declared the year 2019-20 as the ‘Construction Technology Year’.

Under Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators- India (ASHA-India) initiative, incubation and acceleration support is provided to potential future technologies that are not yet market ready (pre-prototype applicants) or to the technologies that are market ready (post prototype applicants). The ASHA-India Centres will also help in developing design guidelines, construction manuals and other necessary guidelines, relevant for effective use of such technologies in the region. ASHA-India Centres are to be set up at five host institutions: IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee and CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat.

72 potential future technologies (domestic) have been identified through the challenge which will be shortlisted for providing support under ASHA-India.

Light House Projects (LHPs) under GHTC-India

The Lighthouse projects, to be developed under GHTC India, will serve as live laboratories for different aspects of transfer of technology to the field. This includes planning, design, production of components, construction practices and testing for both faculty and students of IITs/ NITs/ Engineering colleges/ Planning and Architecture colleges, builders, professionals of private and public sectors and other relevant stakeholders. GHTC India ushered a paradigm shift in the construction technology to transform the eco-system of housing construction.

For use of innovative technology in construction, the Ministry has introduced a Technology Innovation Grant as an additional grant of Rs. 4.0 Lakh per house over and above the existing share of Rs 1.5 lakh per house under PMAY(U) for LHPs.

The LHPs are being implemented in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh to demonstrate the innovative construction technology which are cost-effective, green and sustainable.