NBCC to execute social housing project in Mauritius

State-owned National Buildings Construction Company (NBCC) will execute a $20-million (Rs130 crore) social housing project in Mauritius, which involves construction of 700 duplex type houses of 50 sq mt net floor area with two bedrooms, living and dining rooms, kitchen, bathrooms and toilets.

NBCC will complete the construction of the houses in Dagotiere and Mare Tabac in the next 18 months.

NBCC, a Navratna construction major under the ministry of urban development, will also construct a new Supreme Court building at a cost of $33 million (Rs220 crore) in Port Louis in 24 months.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in this regard in the presence of minister of urban development M Venkaiah Naidu and the visiting Mauritius vice prime minister and minister of housing and lands, Showkutally Soodhun.

Government of India has sanctioned a grant of $353 million for execution of five projects in Mauritius, including Metro Express Project, new ENT Hospital and supply of digital tablets to primary school children.

The visiting Mauritius leader thanked India for assisting his country in several fields. Venkaiah Naidu said that bilateral cooperation between the two countries has a strategic dimension and both the countries have an important role to play in ensuring peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region. He expressed happiness over commencement of construction of the World Hindi Secretariat and the Chancery Project of Indian High Commission in Mauritius.

Singapore's minister of trade and industry S Iswaran also called on Venkaiah Naidu and held wide ranging discussions relating to implementation of new urban missions and development of Amaravathi as the capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The two leaders also discussed about municipal solid waste management and water recycling.