National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) has set eyes on the overseas market to boost its revenues. The company plans to get 15-20 per cent of its total turnover from countries abroad in the next five years. The public sector entity is also expected to contribute towards achieving the Government’s ‘Housing for all by 2022’ and smart cities schemes. In an interview with BusinessLine , NBCC Chairman and Managing Director Anoop Kumar Mittal outlines the company’s plans post getting the Navratna status. Edited excerpts:

How are you getting aggressive in the overseas markets?

We are currently working in Bostwana, Maldives, Turkey and have recently opened office in Oman. By this calendar year-end, we are hoping some projects worth ₹3,000-4,000 crore will be booked in these four countries. We are also looking at CIS countries and focusing on some African countries. Our target is to get 15-20 per cent of the company’s revenue from overseas markets.

What is your strategy towards real estate development and ‘housing for all’ scheme?

For the last one month, we are trying through Department of Public Enterprises and Department of Disinvestment to purchase land from sick public sector units or make joint venture companies or even a holding company kind of arrangement with them to redevelop or utilise their surplus land bank. This in turn will create assets for them (sick PSUs) and revive their balance sheet. It will generate revenue for both of us.

What is NBCC expected to do for the smart cities scheme?

NBCC’s role can be in improvement of infrastructure, preparation of design, and redevelopment of old properties in existing cities, which are expected to become smart cities. For new smart cities along the dedicated freight corridor, we can generate some real estate properties.

What other redevelopment projects are on the cards? Which are the projects you are working on?

Apart from the ongoing project at East Kidwai Nagar in New Delhi, a 50:50 joint venture company will be created with the State Government of Rajasthan, which will redevelop projects in the State.

We are very close to finalising this tie-up. We are planning to redevelop 18 Government presses, for which we are sending a Cabinet note.

Presses will be modernised and rest of the land will be used for commercial exploitation. Recently, we have signed an agreement with State Government of Punjab wherein we will build 18 de-addiction centres at an initial cost of ₹100 crore using prefab technology.

On similar lines, we have offered our services to the Ministry of Sports also for indoor sports facilities at block level and district level.

As far as housing is concerned, we will kick-start a 350-unit project in Kochi soon, apart from two more apartment towers in Alwar. There is also a 300-unit township coming up in Patna.

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