Bengaluru: In an effort to promote smart living in Bengaluru, a trade fair -ISH India – for integrated solutions was organised by Messe Frankfurt, powered by Indian Plumbing Association in association with the Indian Plumbing Skills Council. Supported by Skill India, the three-day international trade fair was inaugurated by Shri Anantkumar Hegde, Hon’ble Minister of State, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, who stressed upon the need for skilled manpower to serve the upcoming smart cities across India.
Addressing the gathering, Anantkumar Hegde said, “A home has to be an abode for peace and happiness. Energy saving devices in the home and an environment conscious mindset will go a long way in achieving this peace and happiness. It is time to imbibe new thinking and new technologies. If we change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. The Government of India is wholeheartedly committed to supporting the plumbing sector and is working closely with the Indian Plumbing Skills Council towards significantly augmenting and upgrading the skill training of plumbers in the country to meet the rising demand.”
Organised at Bangalore International Center from 22nd to 24th February, ISH India is a unique platform showcasing developments and emerging solutions in plumbing, sanitation, bathroom & kitchen, renewable energy and home automation systems. The exhibition comes at an important juncture when the Government of India is aggressively pushing Smart City development, is focusing on renewable energy; and is emphasising upon improving the sanitation infrastructure across cities.
With depleting natural resources and commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the country is progressing towards renewable energy. The booming real estate in India has led to increased demand for construction workers. With surge in spending on the bathroom fittings and luxuries, there is the need of trained plumbers. The rapid expansion of Bengaluru, especially people living in informal settlements has led to challenges in sanitation and waste disposal. All such newly developed jobs demand skilled resources. Driving the Skill India Mission, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship is creating provision for training in various job roles in all such job roles across sectors. The Minister expressed that there is immense potential for skilled technicians; and would lead to employment generation in the state.
Day-one of the fair has been marked with several new product launches for need-of-the-hour solutions, day-two will host a dedicated seminar on luxury bathrooms which are an extension of luxury living and a conference on Jal, Vayu & Agni providing new perspectives on the urban and smart city landscape.
Other dignitaries present at the event were Shri Vishal Kapoor, President, Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ISHRA); Shri Gurmit Singh Arora, President, Indian Plumbing Association; Shri Pankaj Dharkar, President, Factory Advise Service & Labour Institutes; Dr RK Somany, Chairman, Indian Plumbing Sector Council (IPSC); Mr Vinay Gupta, Vice-Chairman, IPSC; Ms Sonia Prashar, Deputy Director General at Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director, Nuernberg Messe India; Mr Raj Manek, Executive Director and Board Member of Messe Frankfurt Asia Holding Ltd.
The need for skilled manpower in plumbing, sanitation and renewable energy sectors: Bengaluru has been facing a severe challenge with its infrastructure concerns and upsurge in garbage dumping, heavy rains and its severely polluted lakes. In the Swachh Bharat Survey 2017 carried out by Quality Council of India, deployed across 434 cities and towns, Bengaluru has been ranked far below at 210. There is attention on the rising need for advanced plumbing practices for adequate management of water and wastewater.
The boom in infrastructure and real estate sector has necessitated the need for trained plumbing professionals. Skill Gap studies conducted by NSDC reveal that just 0.5% of the plumbers working in the country are properly trained. With the growing demand in construction sector, it is estimated that approximately 12 lakh plumbers are required in the country by 2020. Consultation with the Plumbing Industry has reiterated the need to have a structured industry training program for the plumbers as most of the existing plumbers are either untrained or self-trained.
