ICTAD to become an Authority

Anuradha Kodagoda

The Institute of Construction Training and Development (ICTAD) will be converted into an Authority with the intention of furthering development in the construction industry.

A request had been made 13 years ago to present a Bill in Parliament to convert ICTAD into an Authority but it had failed due to many reasons.

However, with the establishment of the Construction and Engineering Services Ministry in 2007, Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has taken the initiative to convert ICTAD into an Authority.

"Even the current Industrial Act was passed 50 years back and it was not amended to meet current industrial requirements," Minister Senaratne said.

The main objectives of the proposed Construction Industry Authority are to formalize and standardize the construction industry to facilitate for further development of the industry.

Minister Senaratne said "there are more than 30 services included under the Authority to promote and facilitate the level of production and standards of the industry, such as, to facilitate to maintain the standards of the raw-material and the construction services of the industry, to introduce new foreign technology and the relevant training to develop the skills, to develop the entrepreneurship of the constructors to achieve progress in the construction industry and also to create job opportunities in the construction industry to attract more people to the industry".

ICTAD was established in 1995 under the Industrial Act of 1957 No. 49 and during the past 50 years the institute was involved in increasing the standard of the construction industry.

"There is a national need to pass an Act for the creation of a construction industry authority to develop the construction industry. I have spoken with all the organizations in the industry and explained the need for such an authority.

I hope to get the approval to establish such an authority before the end of this year," Dr. Senaratne said.