Asserting the need to decentralise the water and energy production system, Housing and Urban Affairs Additional Secretary D Thara on Friday asked real estate developers to change the way they build housing projects and make them self-sustainable.

Speaking at the 3rd convention of realtors body Naredco's women wing 'NAREDCO Mahi' on Friday, she asked real estate developers to make provisions of rainwater harvesting compulsory in their projects and also add playing area for children.

"It's very important to change the way we are building houses. Let us not get water from outside. Can you get water for your own buildings, for your own use and energy from your own buildings, for your own use," Thara said when asked about her wish list from the developers' fraternity.

"The world has to change from centralised energy and water production to decentralised citizen-based water and energy production. Rainwater harvesting cannot be an addendum to our buildings. It has to be part of integral hardcore infrastructure," she observed.

Thara also told builders to explore the provisioning of cool pathways powered by solar energy in housing societies.

Naredco President G Haribabu regretted that the real estate sector still does not have as many women entrepreneurs as required for its potential because their participation is still about 8-10 per cent, whereas in other professions such as medical and nursing, women's participation reaches almost 40 per cent of the total capacity.

He said the time has come for each real estate player to consider increasing the enrolment of women in the real estate sector.

Naredco Chairman Niranjan Hiranandani highlighted that in the first cabinet meeting of the new NDA government, construction of 3 crore housing units was cleared for the next five years, of which 2 crore would be built in rural areas, while the remaining 1 crore would be constructed in urban areas.

"This would give a new direction to the real estate sector for its all-around transformation," he said.

Hiranandani also demanded that the government should launch a Rs 25,000 crore programme for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers in and around Mumbai.

NAREDCO Vice Chairman Rajan Bandelkar also appreciated the emphasis of the new government to construct an additional 3 crore housing units in the affordable housing sector, saying it would be another landmark to register higher growth in the Indian real estate sector.

NAREDCO Mahi President Ananta Singh Raghuvanshi said the association has been doing its best to promote women empowerment in real estate.

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