NewKerala.com

NITI Aayog Dismisses Reports of 2-Year Construction Ban Recommendation

NITI Aayog has dismissed media reports claiming it recommended a two-year halt on major construction activities due to the West Asia crisis. The government think tank clarified that no such recommendation was made regarding a construction ban. It reiterated that reconstruction plans for office complexes are being pursued by respective ministries. The clarification came amid speculation linked to rising costs and PM Modi's call for reduced fuel consumption.

Key Points: NITI Aayog Denies Recommending 2-Year Construction Ban

  • NITI Aayog denies recommending a two-year construction ban
  • Reports claimed halt on major projects due to West Asia crisis
  • Think tank says reconstruction plans are pursued by respective ministries
  • Speculation linked to PM Modi's call for reduced fuel consumption
2 min read

No recommendation made for 2-year construction ban: NITI Aayog

NITI Aayog clarifies it made no recommendation for a two-year construction ban amid West Asia crisis and economic pressures, dismissing media reports.

"This is to clarify that no such recommendation in any form has been made by NITI Aayog calling for a construction ban. - NITI Aayog"

New Delhi, May 12

NITI Aayog on Tuesday dismissed reports claiming that it had recommended a two-year halt on major construction and demolition activities across the country due to the ongoing West Asia crisis and rising economic pressures.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the government think tank clarified that it had made no such recommendation regarding a construction ban.

"This is to clarify that no such recommendation in any form has been made by NITI Aayog calling for a construction ban," the statement said while responding to a media report published on May 12.

The policy body further said that the reconstruction plans related to key government office complexes are being pursued by the respective ministries and that no suggestion for deferment had been issued by NITI Aayog.

"It is further reiterated that the plan on the reconstruction of the various office buildings is being pursued by the respective Ministry and no recommendation for deferment of the process has been made by NITI Aayog," it added.

The clarification came after a report claimed that the think tank had advised the Centre to suspend major construction works for two years amid spiralling construction costs, rising imports and supply chain disruptions triggered by the ongoing tensions in West Asia.

The report had suggested that projects involving the demolition and reconstruction of major Central government office complexes, including Nirman Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan and Shastri Bhavan, could be put on hold as part of austerity measures linked to rising energy costs and supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the report, the recommendation was allegedly made in view of escalating costs of raw materials, fuel-intensive construction activity and concerns over energy security following the Iran conflict.

The speculation had also gained attention after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption, limit foreign travel and avoid unnecessary gold purchases amid volatile global energy prices caused by the West Asia crisis.

The report further claimed that demolition work at Nirman Bhavan had been halted and that preparations for demolition activities at Udyog Bhavan and Shastri Bhavan could also face delays.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

V
Vikram M
A two-year ban would have been disastrous for the real estate sector and lakhs of construction workers. Glad NITI clarified this. But such reports still damage investor sentiment. Media should verify before publishing.
R
Rohit G
West Asia tensions are real, and we all need to conserve fuel, but halting construction for two years would have hurt infrastructure development. PM's call for reducing fuel consumption is sensible in this context. But fake news spreads so fast these days!
K
Kavya N
The whole idea seemed unrealistic. How can you stop building government offices? These are important for administration. And what about the workers? Glad NITI Aayog did its job and set the record straight.
M
Manish T
Some media houses have no accountability. They publish clickbait headlines without fact-checking. NITI Aayog had to waste time clarifying this nonsense. Focus should be on actual issues like rising raw material costs and supply chain disruptions.
A
Ananya R
The Strait of Hormuz issue is serious though. We import so much crude oil from that region. But banning construction is not the answer. Instead, we need to diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on that route. Good that NITI thinks properly.
S
Siddharth J

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50