The right coordination and the timely completion of the projects according to the priority is the key driver in the successful completion and implementation of the infrastructure projects in the country. Both these factors shall be addressed by the Government of India through the “Gati Shakti” initiative part of the union budget 2022-’23. The infrastructure industry remains the key focus of the government with an estimated spend of over Rs.10 lakh crore laid according to the budget for the current year.It was forecasted in a report by KPMG and the real estate group NAREDCO that the infrastructure industry will be the sector with the most employment opportunities by the year 2022.
The timely and effective completion of infrastructure projects depends on a number of factors, one of the most important of which is the combination of a talented workforce and adequate financial resources. The pandemic outburst and the subsequent lockdowns across the planet heated up an array of issues including shortage of manpower, travel constraints, limitations in the location availability etc. The impact of the pandemic outbreak was most hit on the infrastructure sector than any other sectors. This is mainly due to the capital and human labour-intensive nature of the industry.
However, one of the most significant challenges that the sector has confronted with is a shortage of talented and skilled workers in the field. The nature and duration of different projects areamong a few of the core aspects linked with the shortage. The industry wants personnel with experience, strong qualifications, and specialised knowledge. The industry also challenges the workers with its risky environment and high safety standards, which again adds up to a shortage of skilled workers. Skill gap is asignificant issue that is concerned with the industry presently. This problem arises from the fact that the skill sets possessed by the labourers are insufficient with the needs that the sector mostly requires.
In the construction sector, there is a need for workers at a variety of skill levels, starting from project managers, moving on through engineers and supervisors, and finally encompassing both skilled and unskilled labourers. Limited understanding of planning and scheduling software, insufficient skills in project management and resource estimation, a lack of communication and team management abilities, and a list of other reasons can provide to the stagnation or even to the termination of a project. The surge in demand for skilled labour has never kept pace with the current development of skilled manpower in the country. There needs an immediate adequacy in mending the same. Getting real world industry experience by engaging students in ongoing projects within government and private sectors can be undertaken by the academia. This would ensure training in the right skillsets and make them job-ready. The use of technology to supplement the shortage of human labour can actually help a lot in completing priority projects quickly.
The”Gathi Shakthi” project planned by the Indian government will showcase a digitalised approach towards coordinating the sector by introducing modern tools like an enterprise resource planning solution built on GIS and featuring more than 200 layers for making decisions based on facts.Infrastructure industry has always played a significant role in advancing the nation’s overall development. With the proper skills, technologies, and automation, India’s aim of a $5 trillion economy by 2025 could be realised.