As the 16th CMD of NBCC, a Schedule ‘A’ Navratna Company under the aegis of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, Dr. Mittal oversees its policy and strategic decision making and has been associated with the organization for the past 30 years. Prior to his appointment as the CMD in 2013, he was the Director of Projects division. Under his leadership, NBCC has adopted innovation in construction processes while developing sustainable residential, commercial, institutional and office projects while also nearly doubling its turnover to Rs 7,096 crore.
REAPING THE SWEET FRUITS OF SUCCESS
Dr. Mittal is an asset for NBCC and his earnestness and determination coupled with his innovative business strategies facilitated operational efficiency and faster growth of the organization. He declares with pride, “I started my career at NBCC as an Assistant Engineer and rose to the position of Chairman-cum Managing Director with my passion and commitment. My work was appreciated by my seniors all the time.” He elaborates, “During my current tenure, NBCC achieved the Navratna status. The growth rate too has been phenomenal.” Throwing light upon his life’s inspiration, Dr. Mittal asserts, “Passion towards work and continuous support of my family has made me successful. I never targeted any position but each year in my career has been a new high. I believe if a person is successful in his endeavours, then he yearns to do more in life.”
ALL ROADS LEADING TO PROSPERITY
Dr. Mittal is a visionary who has steered significant functional, structural and policy reforms for NBCC’s overall growth and aligned the organization with national flagship schemes. He stresses, “Our vision is to be a world-class construction company. It is matter of pride that NBCC is playing a meaningful and significant role in nation building. We already have an order book of Rs. 80,000 crore and expected to touch Rs. 1 lakh crore soon. We have set a target to attain 30 to 35 per cent CAGR in the next financial year.” Through light on some of the strategies being employed by NBCC under his guidance, he declares, “On the domestic front, we are diversifying, exploring new markets and adding more business verticals. NBCC has great plans for affordable housing and infrastructure development on land parcels belonging to sick and loss-making PSU’s. After building a solid reliable reputation in domestic market, NBCC is exploring opportunities in international markets. We are working on some prestigious projects like the National Prison Academy in Maldives, the Supreme Court building and 956 units of social and housing in Mauritius as well.” He states with pride, “We recently bagged construction order of Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centres (MGCC) in nine African countries: Niger, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Liberia, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Gabon. We have also signed a Rs 400 crore project to construct the India Pavilion at the Dubai World Expo 2020.”
EMBRACING PRO-PEOPLE TECHNOLOGY
Technology makes our work easier and efficient. Today, it has an imperative to align technology with the organizational processes to make them seamless and efficient. Throwing light upon some of the initiatives Dr. Mittal undertook for good corporate governance and the effective use of technology, he says, “It is essential in today’s fast-changing business environment to keep abreast with evolving technologies and innovations. As a chief of the organisation, it is my duty to implement them for better output. Some of the online services introduced include online file tracking system, digitisation of records, online appraisal system and online recruitment system. We adopted paperless communication through ERP for all official matters.”
He adds, “We have also introduced new policies to streamline the work culture. Employees are the most important asset for any organisation. We recruit management trainees every year through GATE which provides fair chance and transparency in the selection process.”
Stressing upon the importance of training programmes for the employees, he asserts, “NBCC ensures that all employees are equipped with new technologies and new-age skills. We organise training programmes for them at regular intervals. There is decentralisation of power to ensure accountability at each level. We regularly review our policies, strategies, guidelines and procedures for further improvement.”
TOWARDS A BRIGHTER FUTURE
As an ardent advocate of reforms for efficient administration, Dr. Mittal feels, “I believe transparent administration is the hallmark of a progressive organisation. We have decentralised decision-making and delegated responsibilities for ethical corporate governance.”
A champion of sustainability, he asserts, “NBCC is encouraging innovative design and construction technologies for environmental rejuvenation. Pre-cast and pre-fab technologies minimise the impact on environment and help in completing the project at a much faster pace than conventional methods. We have imbibed green engineering which balances functionality with a building’s impact on nature. Green buildings use processes and materials that are environmentally responsible and resource efficient. Most of our projects conform to GRIHA ratings. These initiatives promote a cosmopolitan way of living with easy mobility, smart infrastructure, open spaces and highly functional public facilities.”
SERVING HUMANITY
It is a widely acknowledged fact that a man becomes truly human only when he tries to make others secure, comfortable and happy. Dr. Mittal is very well aware of the importance of social service and laying significant emphasis upon CSR, he exerts, “Giving back to the society is our duty. Being a PSU, our duty is to meet people’s expectations and serve the society in general. CSR is no more an obligation or optional. It also plays a major role in brand positioning and consumer retention. NBCC has a CSR Policy which combines our values of social good, green engineering, and human rights with our business operations and core strategies.” He further adds, “NBCC is committed to nation building and contributing to the society that will sustain its growth. It works with communities near operational areas to implement a range of programmes that can positively impact their lives. Our teams participate throughout a project’s lifeline and contribute in areas like health, education, infrastructure development and local employment.”
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
In recognition of his path breaking contribution to India’s infrastructure sector, numerous awards and recognitions have been conferred upon Dr. Mittal. He received CNBC-AWAAZ CEO Award by Chhattisgarh Government for Outstanding Contribution in Infrastructure in July 2018.
He has been honoured with Distinguished Fellowship 2018 of Institute of Directors (IOD). “CEO of the Year” Award was conferred upon him by Top Rankers Management Consultants at FORE – Top Rankers Excellence Awards 2018. He also received Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award 2017 and SCOPE Excellence Award for Individual Leadership 2014-15.
