CHENNAI: Inspired by the General Services Administration of the US, a dozen experts from the State government, academia and a few technocrats are coming together to form a Centre of Excellence that will help policy makers. They will start with the challenges in water and transportation sectors.
The Centre of Excellence for Urbanisation, Buildings and the Environment (CUBE) obtained the administrative approval from the State government to set itself up at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, sources told Express.
CUBE, to be registered under the Societies Act, would get `10 crores from the Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department. It will have a 12-member governing body headed by IIT Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi as chairman.
It will also have a nominee each from the State finance department, housing and urban development department, MAWS and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, IIT professors as well as technocrats.
The members will have to update from time to time, the work done by CUBE to the chief executive officer of the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board.
The road transport sector and the Public Works Department (PWD) will be the end-users of the technology and advancements that the centre pioneers. “This will be used for capacity building within these departments, which can be supported on a project-to-project basis,” sources added.
Initially, there were plans to tap the funds of the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board but it was dropped, said sources. However, the welfare board would support the skill development programme.
The funding from the State will be for five years to ensure the centre’s sustenance and stability. The CUBE will also address issues of water supply and sewerage system related issues, as private projects lack sustainable construction technologies.
CUBE role
1. It will help capacity building in road transport sector and PWD
2. It will address water supply and sewerage systems related issues
3. It will help in developing sustainable construction technologies
4. It will address urbanisation and its problems which are key areas in public policy