The 18^th NCB International Conference & Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials, concluded successfully on 29^th November 2024 at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, IICC Dwarka, New Delhi. Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ms Arti Bhatnagar,  presented National Awards to the best participating cement plants in the field of energy excellence, improvement in energy performance, environment excellence, total quality excellence and achieving circular economy in integrated cement plants and energy and environment excellence in cement grinding units. She also complimented the Indian cement industry for being water positive and plastic negative.

Ms Bhatnagar released the Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND), an Indian Certified Reference Material of Gypsum Standard produced by NCB in collaboration with NPL, NMI of India. The BND plays a pivotal role in fulfilling the ambitions of “Make in India” and “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” and will substitute the import of international CRM and help in saving foreign Exchange. The 8^th edition of NCB Guide norms on cement plant operation were also released on the occasion. Ms Bhatnagar also visited the technical exhibition concurrently held with the conference and interacted with StartUps exhibiting in the conference.

DG-NCB Dr L P Singh, highlighted that the conference received overwhelming participation from all stakeholders with 1160 delegates, 600+ visitors and 140+ students visiting the conference. During the conference, 150 technical papers were presented in 21 technical sessions, and 70 posters were digitally presented in 08 poster sessions. Shri Mahendra Singhi, Member of Board of Governors AND Strategic Advisor, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., Guest of Honour on the occasion presented certificates to the papers of Special Merit presented during the conference.DG-NCB also informed that NCB will be quantifying the carbon footprint of the conference with the help of NCB incubated StartUp “Zero Carbon” and will be offsetting the CO₂ emissions.

The awards emanated from suggestion at the 1^st NCB International Seminar in 1987, and at the instance of the Ministry of Industry, the scheme of National Award for Energy Efficiency was started from the year 1986-87.The conference was organized by National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), an apex R&D organization under the administrative control of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India.

Domestic certified reference material boosts import substitution and supports Make in India, aiding cement industry standards. National Awards recognized energy, environment, total quality and circular economy excellence in cement plants and grinding units, reaffirming commitments to water positivity and plastic negativity. The conference released an Indian Certified Reference Material for gypsum to substitute imported CRMs and support domestic manufacturing, issued the 8th edition of cement plant operational guide norms, and announced carbon footprint quantification and offsetting through an NCB incubated StartUp, while hosting technical papers, posters, an exhibition, and StartUp interactions.