Environment
Skill development initiatives in India
Published
6 years agoon
By
admin
Skill development is a major challenge and initiatives have been taken not only by the Government but also by industry to facilitate skill development, but the task is gigantic and more needs to be done, says Dr Rajen Mehrotra.
To benefit from the demographic dividend, the Government of India both during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government (i.e. 2004-14) plus the National Democratic Front (NDF) Government (i.e. 2014-24) have been making efforts by coming forward with various initiatives / schemes to improve the availability of skilled youth in India. Around 90 per cent of the workforce in developed countries is vocationally qualified, while in India the number is still only 5-7 per cent[1]. Skill development is a major challenge and initiatives have been taken not only by the Government but also by industry to facilitate skill development, but the task is gigantic and more needs to be done.
Apart from skill development, skill up gradation is a continuous process. Skill up-gradation is needed in all the fields not only in manufacturing but also in services. Upgradation can be from basic to advanced and finally to expert and can be at various stages, however this article is dealing with skill development at the initial stage for the youth of the country. India needs basically expertise through skill advancement for the youth in various fields. Along with skill development mentoring is an important area during skill upgradation and having good mentors helps the candidate to develop and grow. Industrial training institutes
Industrial training institutes (ITIs) with a focus on skill development were started in 1950 in India. These are presently under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The Government of India is running 2,293 ITIs and there are 10,812 private ITIs, thus having a total strength of 13,105 ITIs in the country as per published figures in April 2016. Vocational training of quite many ITI’s is not necessarily meeting the present-day requirement of advanced manufacturing enterprises, hence after completing the courses the young students passing out struggle to find meaningful employment.
The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government in 2007 went in for a Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme asking industry to help upgrade the quality of training in the Government run ITIs. Quite many enterprises collaborated with the Government in this task of upgradation. Under PPP scheme, the Government of India provided interest free loan of Rs. 25 million to the Institutes Management Committee (IMC) Society of the partnered ITI and the repayment of the loan had a moratorium of 10 years from the year in which the loan had been received by the IMC Society. After the moratorium the loan amount had to be repaid in equal annual instalments over a period of 20 years, the first instalment repayable from the 11th anniversary of the date of receipt of money. This was a unique PPP scheme primarily aimed at improving the quality of training to benefit the students of the ITI in improved knowledge and skill for better chances of employability or being self employed. Many enterprises of the corporate sector supported this scheme, so as to improve the quality of skill development of the students and also improved the infrastructure of ITI’s which needed upgradation, though much more needed to be done.
Enterprises Running Training Institute
Certain manufacturing companies in order to get skilled workers in specific trades use to run a basic training centre wherein the youth acquired the requisite skill and also went through some knowledge acquisition by attending classes. In quite many cases these were confined to trades relevant to the industry in which the enterprise operated. Some of these enterprises got their trainees to qualify for the trades specified under the ITIs and some did not do that. I had an experience of this when I worked with Mukand Iron & Steel Works (now called Mukand) and also with ACC. There are quite many old companies that had this practice and still continue with this practice, as it helps the youth of the country to develop.
The modern vocational institutes set by companies like Mahindra and Mahindra, L&T and many leading companies are very good and the trainees from such institutions have no problem getting meaningful employment. Also, the trainees have competencies to set up small start-up’s and do well over time as they are trained with modern technology unlike the ones from the traditional ITIs. Some old enterprises have discontinued this practice later, as they were not in a position to absorb these trainees and it tended to create industrial relations problems. Most enterprises including the small and medium enterprises cannot undertake such an activity, and hence expect such trained personnel to be provided by the Government or by private agencies.
The Apprenticeship Act, 1961
In India we have The Apprenticeship Act, 1961 under which enterprises engaged the youth of this country as an apprentice in their premises to undergo apprenticeship training. This Act went through a major amendment in 2014 when the Apprentices (Amendment) Act 2014 came with the concept of "optional trade", which means any trade or occupation or any subject field in engineering or non-engineering or technology or any vocational course as may be determined by the employer for the purpose of the Act. There were enterprises that have introduced the provision of "optional trade" based on the business of the enterprise got their certified industrial employment standing orders amended to engage apprentices for a fixed duration of training. Some of these enterprises in the initial period have absorbed the enterprise apprentices as regular workers based on vacancies, however later they are finding it tough to absorb this trained youth.
National Employment Enhancement Mission (NEEM)
The Government through All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in April 2013 has launched a program known as National Employment Enhancement Mission (NEEM). The objective of the programme as mentioned is to develop a competent workforce which could take the country ahead in the industrial world. Under the programme, a NEEM agent can place a maximum number of 5,000 trainees in industry and the trainees can be a person between the age of 18 to 40 years, who has discontinued studies or is studying any course or completed a course leading to a graduation/diploma in any technical/non-technical stream. The period of training can be for a minimum period of three months and a maximum period of thirty-six months and the NEEM agent shall pay all enrolled NEEM trainees a stipend, which shall be at par with the prescribed minimum wage for unskilled category in the enterprise where they are placed.
The NEEM trainees in any enterprises are to be taken through a registered NEEM agent, who shall have at least a turnover of Indian Rs.50 million per financial year for the previous three financial years or a section 25 company (not for profit company under section 25 of The Companies Act, 1956. Which presently is called section 8 company under The Companies Act, 2013) is formed to meet the objectives of NEEM. This scheme has become very popular in the last three years and a large number of manufacturing enterprises are taking NEEM trainees who work along with regular workers of the enterprise.
Skill India Initiative
The NDA Government from 2014 launched various SKILL INDIA initiative to improve employability of the youth by enhancing their skill sets. Some of these initiatives are given below:
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (2014) [2]: The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) Antyodaya Diwas, on September 25, 2014. DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth. Over 180 million or 69 per cent of the country’s youth population between the ages of 18 and 34 years lives in rural area and around 55 million of them falls in the bottom of pyramid with no/marginal employment. DDU-GKY aims to skill such rural youth by providing them with jobs and ensuring regular monthly wages or above the minimum wages. DDU-GKY is present in 28 States and UTs, across 669 districts, impacting youth from over 7,294 blocks. It currently has over 1,242 projects being implemented by over 557 partners, in more than 585 trades from 50 industry sectors. Over 7.9 lakh candidates have been trained and over 3.6 lakh candidates have been placed in jobs as on July 11, 2019.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (2015) [3]: This scheme was launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to formulate and implement the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) through the National Skill Development Corporation in March 2015. Individuals with prior learning experience or skills will also be assessed and certified under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Here the government provides training with the help of third-party training partners. Apart from the training, the candidates shall also go through an assessment at the end of the training schedule. A certificate of merit shall also be issued to candidates at the end of this training period based on the assessment. Training and Assessment fees are completely paid by the Government and on an average a sum of Rs 8000 is to be rewarded to an individual enrolled in the scheme.
Financial Assistance for Skill Training of Persons with Disabilities (2015) [4]: This scheme helps in empowering the 26.8 million disabled population in India in accordance with the existing "The Persons with Disability Act 1995". The scheme provides special training stipend for person with disability less than 40 per cent and between the age group from 19 to 59. The scheme also consists of facilities such as hostels and accommodation, cost of transport and other incentives to the candidate enrolled. Also, an all-inclusive training cost of Rs 5,000 per trainee per month shall be provided for the entire duration of the training. The benefits are to be transferred in four instalments.
National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (2016) [5]: This scheme is the newest amongst the cluster. It was launched in August 2016, which promotes apprenticeship by sharing 25 per cent of the prescribed stipend of the apprenticeship burden (maximum of Rs 1,500 per month).
Craftsmen Training Scheme (1950) [6]: The scheme was launched in year 1950 to shape the future workmen. Because of this scheme, only at present Craftsmen Training Scheme are being offered through a network of 15,042 it is (Government: 2738 + Private: 12,304) located all over the country with total of 22.82 lakh trainees enrolled. This scheme has played and has been playing a significant role in restoring the traditional arts and crafts skills of the traditional Indian.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (2018) [7]: This scheme focuses on establishing special Model Training Centres (MTCs) established in every district of the country by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The model training centres envisage to:
Create benchmark institutions that demonstrate inspirational value for competency-based skill development training.
Focus on elements of quality, sustainability and connection with stakeholders in skills delivery process.
Transform from a mandate-driven footloose model to a sustainable institutional model.
These training centres can be built by receiving an amount of 75 per cent of the project investment from central government.
Skill Development for Minorities (2013) [8]: The scheme called "Learn and Earn" has been launched specially for minorities in 2013 to help the minorities to get better chances of employment even with minimum qualifications (at least class V). The Ministry of Minority Affairs has developed courses include majority of traditional skills being practiced by the minority communities, e.g. embroidery, chikankari, zardosi, patch work, gem and jewelry, weaving, wooden works, leather goods, brass metal works, glass wares, carpet, etc. The scheme bears full cost of the projects as per prescribed financial norms and also provides stipend and post placement support to the candidate.
Green Skill Development Programme (2017) [9]: The Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) aims to fill the gap between the need and availability of skill sets to help sustain environment at various levels. It enhances the employability of people in jobs that contribute to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment with help of the 67 centres established by the government. The first GSDP course was formulated for skilling biodiversity conservationists (basic course) and Para-taxonomists (Advance Course) of 3 months’ duration each on a pilot basis in ten select districts of the country. BSI and ZSI were the nodal centres for the pilot programme.
All Indian Computer Siksha Mission (1999) [10]: The scheme has been in addition to the existing Rajeev Gandhi Computer Saksharta Mission. The Government of India has initiated Computer skill centres in association with the third-party partners where, candidates can get certificate courses, diploma courses, advance diploma courses, vocational courses to showcase their technical skills for better employment opportunities. AICSM has trained above 1.5 lakh till 2017 and placed above 42,000 students.
Challenges
India has more than 600 million people under the age of 25 years with a potential of being the most employable country in Asia Pacific. Every year, 25 million people attain the age of 21 years and come to work, so skilling such a large number is not easy. According to All India Survey of Higher Education by Azim Premji University of the 8 million students who graduate every year, only around 1 million receive professional degrees. Hence, skill development of youth who are non-graduates is a priority area. The Government of India has been working since 2009 by having launched The National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC). The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana was launched in 2015 with a separate budget of Rs 15 billion. There is also scope for skill development in the field of agriculture, horticulture, dairy, poultry etc. and this can facilitate in generating better quality jobs for the youth in rural India. This is an area where more focus is needed. Despite these many years of working on the problem there still persist two major challenges: Informational asymmetries and limited quality assurance.
A major hitch in India is that except for some leading companies, majority of the enterprises do not take much interest in supporting the skill development initiative. Many enterprises misuse the young trainees as a substitute for regular workers to achieve a cost arbitrage by utilising these youngsters to do regular nature of jobs in the garb of training; this is especially true with reference to NEEM trainees. Industry has a role and responsibility as part of corporate citizenship and needs to wholeheartedly support the skill development initiative in the nation’s interest.
A major challenge is that the youth today is inclined towards desiring to have higher education by studying in the college and university rather than acquiring skills under various schemes listed above. For this barrier to break enterprises and citizens will not only have to pay well to skilled category of workers but also treat them with dignity, so that they are attracted towards acquiring skills. In the western world, the skilled handy man who by and large is self-employed is paid well and treated well, so that he/she is happy doing that work rather than going in for higher college and university education.
References
1.https://www.thehindu.com/education/careers/A-potted-historyof-skilling-in-India/article17287918.ece
2.http://ddugky.gov.in/content/about-us-0
3.https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/pradhan-mantri-kaushal-vikasyojana#tab=tab-1
4.http://disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/fas1.pdf
5.http://www.mescindia.org/naps.php
6.https://dgt.gov.in/CTS
7.https://nsdcindia.org/pmkk
8.http://www.minorityaffairs.gov.in/schemesperformance/seekho-aurkamaolearn-earn-scheme-skill-development-minorities
9.http://www.gsdp-envis.gov.in/
10.https://www.aicsm.com/aicsmAimGoal.htm
Acknowledgement
The author is grateful to Mr. Vineet Kumar Oswal, First Year student of Post Graduate Programme in Management at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sirmaur for compiling information on the 9 schemes listed under Skill India. Published in November 2019 issue of Current Labour Reports and Arbiter.
The author is Past President of Industrial Relations Institute of India (IRII), Former Senior Employers’ Specialist for South Asian Region with Internation.al Labour Organization (ILO) and Former Corporate Head of HR with ACC and Former Corporate Head of Manufacturing and HR with Novartis India. He can be contacted on: Email: rajenmehrotra@gmail.com

The Indian cement industry has reached a critical juncture in its sustainability journey. In a landmark move, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has, for the first time, announced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity reduction targets for 282 entities, including 186 cement plants, under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023. These targets, to be enforced starting FY2025-26, are aligned with India’s overarching ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2070.
Cement manufacturing is intrinsically carbon-intensive, contributing to around 7 per cent of global GHG emissions, or approximately 3.8 billion tonnes annually. In India, the sector is responsible for 6 per cent of total emissions, underscoring its critical role in national climate mitigation strategies. This regulatory push, though long overdue, marks a significant shift towards accountability and structured decarbonisation.
However, the path to a greener cement sector is fraught with challenges—economic viability, regulatory ambiguity, and technical limitations continue to hinder the widespread adoption of sustainable alternatives. A major gap lies in the lack of a clear, India-specific definition for ‘green cement’, which is essential to establish standards and drive industry-wide transformation.
Despite these hurdles, the industry holds immense potential to emerge as a climate champion. Studies estimate that through targeted decarbonisation strategies—ranging from clinker substitution and alternative fuels to carbon capture and innovative product development—the sector could reduce emissions by 400 to 500 million metric tonnes by 2030.
Collaborations between key stakeholders and industry-wide awareness initiatives (such as Earth Day) are already fostering momentum. The responsibility now lies with producers, regulators and technology providers to fast-track innovation and investment.
The time to act is now. A sustainable cement industry is not only possible—it is imperative.
Concrete
It is equally important to build resilient building structures
Published
3 weeks agoon
May 13, 2025By
admin
Manoj Rustagi, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW Cement, discusses how the adoption of ‘green’ practices in cement manufacturing could reshape the future of sustainable construction worldwide.
Cement is one of the most carbon-intensive materials in construction — but innovation is changing that. As sustainability becomes central to infrastructure, green cement is emerging as a viable low-carbon alternative. In this detailed interview with Manoj Rustagi, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW Cement, we explore what makes cement ‘green’, its performance, and its future. From durability to cutting-edge technologies, here’s a look at the cement industry’s greener path forward.
What exactly is green cement, and how does it differ from traditional cement?
At this point in time, there is no standard for defining green cement. A very simple way to understand ‘Green Cement’ or ‘Low Carbon Cement’ is the one which emits much lower greenhouse gasses (GHG) compared to conventional cement (Ordinary Portland Cement – OPC) during its manufacturing process.
In India, there are many existing BIS Standards for different types of cement products. The most common are OPC; Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC); Portland Slag Cement (PSC) and Composite Cement (CC). While OPC emits maximum GHG during its manufacturing (approx 800-850 kg CO2/MT of OPC), PSC emits least GHG (approx 300-350 kg CO2/MT of PSC). As PSC is having close to 60 per cent lower CO2 emission compared to OPC, it is the greenest cement available in the Indian market.
There is already work happening at the central government level to define green cement, like it has been recently done for green steel, and hopefully in the next one year or so the standard definition would be available.
What are the key environmental benefits of using green cement?
The primary environmental benefits of green or low-carbon cement are:
- Reduced CO2 emissions
- Lower energy and power consumption
- Conservation of limestone and fossil fuels
- Utilisation of industrial by-products
- (slag/fly ash)
Can green cement match the durability and strength of conventional cement?
PSC is much more durable than any other type of cement product. It has lower heat of hydration; the strength keeps on improving with time; and it has much higher resistance to chloride and sulphate attacks. Most of the concrete failures are because of chloride and sulphate attacks, which corrode the steel reinforcements and that is how cracks get initiated and propagated resulting in eventual concrete failures. For coastal applications, marine structures, seaports, and mass concreting, PSC is most suitable. Due to the intrinsic durability characteristics of PSC; it is a green and resilient cement product.
Usually everyone talks about lower GHG emissions, but it is equally important to build resilient building structures that can withstand natural calamities and have much longer lifespans. PSC is one cement type that is not only lowest in CO2 emissions but at the same time offers durability characteristics and properties (RCPT, RCMT, Mercury Intrusion, long term strength and flexural strength), which are unmatched.
What innovative technologies are being used to produce green cement?
To further reduce the CO2 emissions in the manufacturing process; some of the innovative technologies which are commercially viable are:
- Alternative raw materials: Use of steel slag, red mud and other industrial by-products to substitute limestone
- Alternative fuels: Use of RDF/MSW, pharmaceutical wastes like biomass etc., to substitute coal/pet-coke
- Waste Heat Recovery (WHR): Power plants to generate electricity from waste heat
- Renewable energy: Solar and wind energy instead of state grid
How cost-effective is green cement compared to traditional options?
All of the above innovative technologies do not increase the cost of manufacturing. There are some future technologies like Carbon Capture, Utilisation and/or Storage (CCUS), which are not commercially viable and would increase the cost of cement. As such, the options available today for low-carbon cement (like PSC) are not expensive.
The Government of India has recently notified Indian Carbon Market (ICM), which also includes the cement sector. Hopefully, this would help progressive companies to further reduce their carbon footprint.
What challenges does the industry face in adopting green cement on a large scale?
There is absolutely no incentive/motivation for builders/contractors to use green cement products and therefore there is practically no demand. While the industry has taken many steps. In fact the Indian cement industry is believed to be most energy efficient globally and has approximately 10 per cent lower GHG emissions compared to global average. But due to lack of awareness and lack of performance based standards; the demand for low carbon cement or green cement has not picked up in India.
Are governments and regulators supporting the shift to green cement?
In India, in the last couple of years, there have been many policy interventions which have been initiated. One of them, namely the carbon market is under notification; others like Green Public Procurement, Green Cement taxonomy and National CCUS Mission are in the advanced stages and are expected to be implemented in the next couple
of years.
How do you see the future of green cement in global construction?
Globally the built environment accounts for 40 per cent CO2 emissions; and the maximum embodied emissions come from cement and concrete. There is a lot of innovation happening in cement, concrete and construction. Basically, how we build and what material we use. And this is to do with both carbon mitigation as well as adaptation as the built environment is so important for sustainable living. Precast and pre-engineered buildings/structures, 3D concrete printing, ultra high performance concrete, digital and AI/ML interventions in construction, admixtures/improved concrete packing; and circularity in cement manufacturing are some examples. Low-carbon cement or green cement eventually will lead to ‘Net Zero CO2 emission’ cement, which would enable a ‘Net-Zero’ built environment that is needed for long term sustainability.

Milind Khangan, Marketing Manager, Vertex Market Research, looks at how India’s cement industry is powering a climate-conscious transformation with green cement at its core, aligning environmental urgency with economic opportunity.
The cement industry produces around eight per cent of the world’s total CO2 emissions. Process emissions, largely due to limestone calcination, contribute 50 to 60 per cent of these emissions and produce nearly one ton of CO2 per ton of cement produced.
India is a leading cement producer with an installed capacity of around 550 million tons (MMT) as of 2024. As the Government of India advances toward its 2070 net-zero target, green cement is becoming a major driver of this shift toward a low-carbon economy. It offers environmental sustainability as well as long-term operating efficiencies at scale. With the fast-paced urbanisation and infrastructure development across the nation, the use of green cement goes beyond environmental imperatives; it is also a strong strategic business opportunity. Indian cement players are some of the most sustainable and environmentally conscious players in the world, and indigenous cement demand in India is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 10 per cent until 2030.
Innovating sustainably
Green cement is an umbrella term that includes multiple advanced technologies and processes aimed at minimising the environmental footprint, and CO2 emissions of conventional cement manufacturing. This shift from traditional practices targets minimising the carbon footprint throughout the whole cement manufacturing process.
- Clinker substitution: Substitution of high-carbon clinker with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in order to considerably lower emissions.
- Alternative binders: Developing cementitious systems that require minimal or no clinker, reducing reliance on traditional methods.
- Novel cements: Introducing new types of cement that depend less on limestone/clinker, utilising alternative modified processes and raw materials.
- Energy efficiency and alternative fuels: Optimising energy utilisation in production and substituting fossil fuel with cleaner alternatives coming from waste or biomass.
- Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS): Trapping CO2 emissions at cement plants for recycling or geological storage.
Drivers and strategic opportunities
Robust infrastructure development pipeline: The government’s continued and massive investment in infrastructure (roads, railways, housing, smart cities) generates huge demand for cement. Crucially, there is a growing preference and sometimes direct requirement under public tenders for sustainable building materials, including green cement, which is giving a significant market stimulus.
India’s national climate commitments (NDC and Net Zero 2070): India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement (NDCs) and the long-term goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070 have set a clear direction for industrial decarbonisation. This national strategy necessitates action from high-emitting sectors such as cement to adopt green cement technologies and carbon-reducing innovations across the construction value chain. Notably, the Indian cement industry alone is expected to generate nearly 400 million tonnes of GHG emissions by 2030.
Regulatory mandates for fly ash utilisation: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has released a number of binding notifications that promote the use of fly ash from thermal power plants. These guidelines seek to reduce environmental impact by enhancing its extensive application in cement production, particularly in Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC). Fly ash acts as a pozzolanic material, reacting with calcium hydroxide to produce cementitious compounds, hence decreasing clinker consumption, a high-energy component contributing to high CO2 emissions. Through clinker substitution facilitation, such mandates directly enable the production of low-carbon green cement.
Promotion and utilisation of blast furnace slag: Steel plant slag utilisation policies provide a ready SCM for manufacturing Portland Slag Cement (PSC). This is advantageous in terms of the supply of another key raw material for green cement manufacturing.
Increased demand due to green building movement
The larger adoption of green building codes and certification systems such as GRIHA and LEED India by builders and developers promotes the use of materials with reduced carbon content. Cement products with a higher SCM content or produced through cleaner processes are preferred. A step in this direction was achieved in October 2021 when Dalmia Cement achieved the distinction of being the first Indian cement producer to be granted the Green Product Accreditation of GRIHA.
The Indian industry is actively investing in R&D for new binders such as geopolymer cement, alkali-activated materials and limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). Research institutions including IIT Madras are collaborating with industry to scale these technologies. Although Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) is still at a nascent stage in India, it represents a potential frontier for long-term decarbonisation in the cement sector.
The MoEFCC has published draft regulations under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), 2023, in the form of the Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity Target Rules, 2025. The draft notification requires 186 cement units in India to lower their GHG emission intensity from FY 2025-26. Non-compliant manufacturers will have to purchase carbon credit certificates or face penalties, creating a clear regulatory and financial incentive to adopt cleaner technology. The CCTS will promote technology and practice adoption that reduces the carbon intensity of cement manufacturing, potentially resulting in the use of green cement and other low-carbon substitutes for cement.
India’s leading cement companies like UltraTech, Shree Cement, and Dalmia Bharat have made science-based targets and net-zero emissions pledges in line with the GCCA 2050 Cement and Concrete Industry Roadmap. These self-declarations are hastening the shift towards clean cement manufacturing technology and renewable energy procurement.
Challenges and complexities in India’s green cement transition
Economic viability and cost challenges: High production costs associated with low-carbon cement technologies remain a significant hurdle. The absence of strict carbon pricing and poor financial incentives slow down rapid uptake on a large scale. Although green cement is currently costlier than conventional options, greater market adoption and scale-driven efficiencies are expected to progressively narrow this price gap, enhancing commercial viability over time. As these technologies mature, their broader deployment will become more feasible.
Inconsistent supply chain of SCMs: A dependable supply of high-quality Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), such as fly ash and slag, is crucial. But in the course of decarbonisation of India’s power generation and industry sectors, SCMs reliability and availability may become intermittent. Strong, decentralised logistics and material processing units must be developed in order to provide uninterrupted and economical SCM supply chains to cement producers.
Gaps in technical standards and performance benchmarks
Although PPC and PSC are well-supported by existing BIS codes, standards for newer materials such as calcined clay, geopolymer binders and other novel SCMs require timely development and updates. Maintaining steady performance, lasting robustness, and usage dependability in varying climatic and structural applications will be key to instilling market faith in other forms of cement formulation. Market stakeholders are also supporting separate BIS codes for the green cement sub-categories for helping to build and sustain standardisation and trust.
Scaling of emerging technologies
Scaling promising technology, especially CCUS, from pilots to commercial scales within the Indian context involves significant investment of capital, technical manpower, and a facilitating regulatory environment. The creation of infrastructure for transportation and long-term storage of CO2 will be critical. While these facilitative systems are implemented, cement makers will be well-placed to decarbonise their operations and achieve national sustainability goals.
The way ahead
The Indian cement industry is poised to enter a revolutionary era, where decarbonisation and sustainability are at the heart of expansion. Industry players and the government need to join hands in an integrated manner throughout the cement value chain to spearhead this green revolution. Cement companies must embrace new technologies to lower the emissions like the utilisation of alternative fuels like biomass, industrial wastes, and recycled materials and utilisation of waste heat recovery systems to make energy efficient. The electrification of logistics and kilns, investigation of high-heat alternative products, and CCUS technology investments must be made to decarbonise production. Sophisticated additives such as polymers can improve cement performance with reduced environmental footprint.
At the policy level, the government has to introduce support measures such as stable carbon pricing, tax relief, viability gap funding, and initiatives such as the PLI scheme to encourage the use of renewable energy in cement manufacturing. Instruments such as carbon contracts can stabilise carbon credit prices and reduce market risk, encouraging investment in low-carbon technologies. Updating BIS standards for newer green cement formulations and SCMs is also critical for market acceptance and confidence. Green cement mandates in public procurement and long-term offtake contracts have the potential to generate stable demand, and green financing windows can guarantee commercial viability of near-zero carbon technologies. Cement greening is not a choice, it is a necessity for constructing a climate-resilient, sustainable India.
About the author:
Milind Khangan, Marketing Manager, Vertex Market Research, comes with more than five years of experience in market research and lead generation. He is responsible for developing new marketing plans and innovations in lead generation, having expertise in creating a technically strong website that generates leads for startups in market research.

Cement demand to rise 7% in FY26

India Sets Up First Carbon Capture Testbeds for Cement Industry

JK Lakshmi Adopts EVs to Cut Emissions in Logistics

Holcim UK drives sustainable construction

Cemex invests in AI optimisation through OPTIMITIVE

Cement demand to rise 7% in FY26

India Sets Up First Carbon Capture Testbeds for Cement Industry

JK Lakshmi Adopts EVs to Cut Emissions in Logistics

Holcim UK drives sustainable construction
