Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal unveiled the ‘SANKALP’ framework as the new guiding vision for the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) during its 172nd Annual Day celebrations held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

The initiative aims to transform CPWD into a future-ready organisation by promoting faster project execution, greater transparency, digital innovation and sustainable infrastructure development in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

What Does SANKALP Stand For?

The Minister explained that SANKALP represents the core principles that will guide CPWD's future reforms:

• S – Speed
• A – Accessibility
• N – Nekneeyat (Good Intent)
• K – Kartavyanishtha (Dedication to Duty)
• A – Adoption of Technology
• L – Lokhit (Public Welfare)
• P – Pardarshita (Transparency)

He said these values would strengthen governance, improve project delivery and ensure high-quality public infrastructure across the country.

Focus on Technology and Sustainable Construction

Addressing CPWD officers, employees and retired personnel, Manohar Lal stressed the importance of adopting sustainable construction practices, embracing emerging technologies and strengthening institutional capacity.

He called for wider use of digital tools, faster implementation of projects and transparent administrative processes, including an efficient online transfer and posting system within the department.

The Minister said technology-driven governance would improve efficiency while ensuring timely completion of infrastructure projects.

Digital Initiatives and Publications Launched

During the celebrations, several new publications and digital initiatives were launched to modernise CPWD's operations.

These included:

• e-NIRMIT Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) modules
• Technical publications
• Annual in-house magazine Nirman Bharati
• Book titled India's Urban Transformation: Reflections from Policy and Practice
• Coffee table book India's Urban Momentum: Towards Making Our Cities Liveable

The newly introduced ERP modules are expected to improve project management, monitoring and operational efficiency across CPWD projects.

Awards Presented for Excellence

The Minister presented Director General's Medals, Commendation Certificates and Certificates of Merit to officers, employees and project teams for outstanding contributions.

Awards were also given for the department's best completed infrastructure projects, while participants who successfully completed capacity-building programmes received certificates of recognition.

A documentary showcasing CPWD's major infrastructure achievements, adoption of modern construction technologies and digital transformation initiatives was also screened during the event.

Future Roadmap for CPWD

Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Srinivas Katikithala proposed the creation of a National Council for Public Works to promote innovation, knowledge sharing and collaboration among government departments, academic institutions and industry experts.

CPWD Director General Satinder Pal Singh highlighted the department's progress in adopting technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital project management systems, automation and advanced construction materials to improve quality, sustainability and transparency.

He reaffirmed CPWD's commitment to delivering world-class public infrastructure through innovation, professional excellence and timely project execution.