1. Setting up the Agenda National Conference on “Affordable Housing for All” June 2, 2007, Mumbai Session: Innovative Technologies Dr. H.S. Anand Secretary Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Government of India

2. CONCERN for ever growing requirements of housing and infrastructure leading to exponentially rising demand and severe shortages of cost- effective building materials.

3. CAPITAL intensive advanced technology based manufacturing methods are not generally feasible to meet the need of building materials.

4. A STRONG OPTION to meet the rising demand of building materials is to develop and promote innovative composite materials based on local resources and wastes from industry, forestry, agriculture, etc.

5. THE MATERIALS produced from wastes, by-products, residues, natural fibres and plant materials are environment friendly and energy efficient.

6. BESIDES being cost- effective, industrial production of composite materials from local resources would help in environmental protection and conservation of energy.

7. LARGE gaps exist in research and development of composite materials and practical application in housing.

8. EXTENSIVE collaboration will greatly help in promoting investment and technology sharing in the building materials sector to meet the housing needs.

9. TECHNOLOGICAL capacity for commercialization of research results and transfer of technologies need to be strengthened.

10. STRONG need for developing innovative micro finance mechanisms by banks and financial institutions where agro-based raw materials are abundantly available.

11. STANDARDISATION and validation facilitates introduction of new and innovative products. Commercialisation of a new product would be faster if standards are designated speedily.

12. IMPROVING the policy environment for sustained growth of innovative building material technologies, their production and availability.

13. MODERNIZATION of small scale and village level building materials production units in rural and urban areas.

14. PERFORMANCE Appraisal and Evaluation of Innovative Building Components / Systems

15. IMPROVING Technology Delivery in Urban and Rural Regions through demonstrations and decentralized SMEs.

16. TRAINING of artisans in innovative technologies and their certification in the light of WTO requirement.

17. IDENTIFICATION and evaluation of foreign innovative building technologies and their adaptation in Indian conditions through demonstration.

18. Thank You