NITI Aayog has released reports outlining decarbonisation roadmaps for the cement, aluminium and micro, small and medium enterprise sectors, highlighting the need to balance emission reduction with sustained economic growth and competitiveness.

Speaking at the launch event in New Delhi, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery emphasised the critical role of the MSME sector in India’s development, describing it as a key driver of employment, innovation and inclusive growth. He stressed the importance of strengthening the sector to support long-term economic expansion.

NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer BVR Subrahmanyam said the aluminium and cement industries are among the most energy-intensive sectors and major contributors to industrial emissions. He noted that decarbonisation across these sectors is essential for meeting India’s climate commitments while maintaining long-term economic competitiveness.

According to Subrahmanyam, the roadmaps provide a strategic vision to help the aluminium, cement and MSME sectors reduce emissions while continuing to grow and remain globally competitive. For MSMEs, the roadmap focuses on improving access to affordable green finance, technology and capacity building to ensure an inclusive and smooth transition.

The report recommends prioritising the use of refuse-derived fuels, increasing clinker substitution, scaling up carbon capture, utilisation and storage, and strengthening the implementation of the carbon credit trading scheme to enable deep decarbonisation in the cement and aluminium sectors.

It also outlines a green transition pathway for MSMEs built around three key levers: deployment of energy-efficient equipment, adoption of alternative fuels, and integration of green electricity into operations.

State-owned construction major NBCC India Ltd has secured a new domestic work order worth around Rs 550.2 million from Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) in the normal course of business, according to a regulatory filing.

The project involves planning, designing, execution and handover of IOB’s new Regional Office building at Raipur. The contract has been awarded under NBCC’s project management consultancy (PMC) operations and excludes GST.

NBCC said the order further strengthens its construction and infrastructure portfolio. The company clarified that the contract is not a related party transaction and that neither its promoter nor promoter group has any interest in the awarding entity.

The development has been duly disclosed to the stock exchanges as part of NBCC’s standard compliance requirements.

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd reported a strong financial performance for the quarter ended 31 December 2025 (Q3 FY26), driven by record cement sales, higher premium product volumes and improved operational efficiencies.

The company achieved its highest-ever third-quarter consolidated cement sales volume of 5 million tonnes, registering growth of 7 per cent year-on-year. Consolidated revenue from operations rose 12 per cent to Rs 27.01 billion during the quarter. EBITDA increased sharply by 50 per cent YoY to Rs 3.86 billion, supported by improved pricing and cost management.

Premium products continued to be a key growth driver, sustaining a historic high contribution of 44 per cent for the second consecutive quarter. The strong momentum reflects rising brand traction for the Nuvoco Concreto and Nuvoco Duraguard ranges, which are increasingly recognised as trusted choices in building materials.

In the ready-mix concrete segment, Nuvoco witnessed healthy demand traction across its Concreto product portfolio. The company launched Concreto Tri Shield, a specialised offering delivering three-layer durability and a 50 per cent increase in structural lifespan. In the modern building materials category, the firm introduced Nuvoco Zero M Unnati App, a digital loyalty platform aimed at improving influencer engagement, transparency and channel growth.

Despite heavy rainfall affecting parts of the quarter, the company maintained improved performance supported by strong premiumisation and operational discipline. Capacity expansion projects in the East, along with ongoing execution at the Vadraj Cement facilities, remain on track. The operationalisation of the clinker unit and grinding capacity, planned in phases starting Q3 FY27, is expected to lift total cement capacity to around 35 million tonnes per annum, reinforcing Nuvoco’s position as India’s fifth-largest cement group.

Commenting on the results, Managing Director Mr Jayakumar Krishnaswamy said Q3 marked strong recovery and momentum despite economic challenges. He highlighted double-digit volume growth, premium-led expansion and a 50 per cent rise in EBITDA. The company also recorded its lowest blended fuel cost in 17 quarters at Rs 1.41 per Mcal. Refurbishment and project execution at the Vadraj Cement Plant are progressing steadily, which, along with strategic capacity additions and cost efficiencies, is expected to strengthen Nuvoco’s long-term competitive advantage.