Govt launches portal to aid cement supply for road construction

The portal provides a buyer-seller platform without any intermediary

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched a web portal which will facilitate the monitoring of the supply of cement and expedite the process of placing purchase orders by the prospective users/ user agencies with the respective cement manufacturers. The portal, designed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways would ensure complete transparency in the supply of cement under the scheme, so as to achieve reduction in the cost of construction of rigid pavement.
INAM-PRO is a web-based application (www.inampro.nic.in) for infrastructure and materials providers and would act as a common platform for Infrastructure materials providers viz. cement companies, infrastructure providers, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and other stakeholders. To start with, it would facilitate contractors or cement buyers engaged in executing the central or state funded roads and highways, bridge construction projects to place cement orders online with the registered cement companies offering cement at competitive rates in the vicinity of project execution locations.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Gadkari said that the portal is a revolutionary initiative in the direction of reducing cost of road construction and maintenance. “As cement is manufactured indigenously and bitumen is a by-product of imported crude oil, the use of cement for national highways is in right earnest with the ‘Make in India’ campaign,” he added. He further said that this platform aims not only to bring down the cost of inputs for the infrastructure projects but also to create a win- win situation for all the stakeholders.
In his address, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Vijay Chhibber said that the portal provides a buyer-seller platform without any intermediary. “With a focus on cement industry, this innovation would make the factories utilise their capacity to full potential,” he added.
The bids of 36 participating cement companies quoting rates from 103 factories along with ‘terms and conditions governing the supply of cement’ have been uploaded on the Ministry’s website.
Cement companies are facilitated to update their offered stock on the portal with the prices agreed upon with the Ministry. They would in turn get instant intimation about the orders placed and would be able to approve the delivery schedules as requested by the cement buyers without hassles and delays. This would also help cement companies plan their annual production in advance and schedule deliveries with better precision.

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