NCASL to establish construction academy

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

NEW VENTURE: The National Construction Association Sri Lanka (NCASL) will establish a Rs 200 million Construction Academy with the support of the Government shortly, additional secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Construction Industry R.S. Kanaganayagam said in Colombo last week.

The NCASL is to announce the annual exhibition "Construction 2006" which will be held for the sixth consecutive year with the celebration of Silver Jubilee under the theme "A Quarter Century's Excellence for New Horizons". The exhibition will be held from August 4 to 6 at the BMICH.

Kanaganayagam said the ministry has stepped into a number of housing and infrastructure projects to solve country's shelter problem under the Mahinda Chinthanaya. Provision of housing loans at low interest rates for Government servants and foreign employees are among them.

The Government has identified 100,000 plots of land under the Janasarana programme to construct houses.

Another scheme to be implemented in Grama Sevaka areas has also been proposed and the government is awaiting for proposals. He said that the government hopes the private sector participation for these projects and proposals from foreign property developers will also be considered.

The construction work of the Rs 200 million worth Construction Academy is in progress and the first phase of the project is expected to be completed in nine months. The seven storeyed academy would accommodate 100 students at a time which will help to remedy the skilled manpower shortage. Kanaganayagam assured to offer his blessings and the contribution to the ministry for the exhibition.

Chairman of the Construction 2006 Exhibition Organising Committee Mahanama Jayamanne said that the exhibition will bring together the entire chain of the building and construction industry under one canopy for the dissemination and sharing of knowledge in advances made in skills and technology in the industry.

NCASL and the construction community who have links with foreign personnel in similar trade are also expected to participate and the number of stalls had been increased.

The main objective is to develop the construction industry in the country by introducing world class products, services and state-of-the-art technology and to increase awareness and launch new products and applications to a captive audience, Jayamanne said.