Mumbai, Feb 09: The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI), the apex body representing India’s real estate sector, through its CSR Foundation and member network, is initiating the second phase of its flagship ecological reforestation drive across degraded stretches of the Western Ghats, commencing with 700 acres of land restoration. In tandem, the organisation felicitated skilled construction workers who have successfully completed its Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certification, formally recognising their expertise and contribution to the sector.
CREDAI’s reforestation initiative launched last year aims to plantation of nearly 2 million saplings across 25 villages, approximately 9,000 acres of degraded forest land in Maharashtra, commencing from Nashik. The initiative encompassed awareness programmes and the promotion of sustainable development practices. It was implemented in collaboration with the Raah Foundation and district authorities in Maharashtra. The organisation had signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the District Collector, Nashik, to align the programme with the Government of Maharashtra’s regreening priorities and community-based forest management frameworks.
Given the exceptional ecological sensitivity and strategic importance of the Western Ghats, CREDAI Nashik plays a pivotal role in on-ground execution and community coordination, working closely with the national team to monitor progress and evaluate outcomes across all programme phases. To date, more than 3,500 acres have been restored through native-species plantations, supported by soil preparation, trenching, mulching, moisture conservation, and water-harvesting interventions. Plantations proceed at approximately 200 saplings per acre, with multi-year survival monitoring, third-party audits, and active community participation in plantation, protection, and long-term stewardship. This delivers sustained ecological regeneration, groundwater recharge, improved soil health, and enduring livelihood benefits for local communities.
In a dedicated felicitation ceremony, CREDAI honoured construction workers certified under its RPL initiative, highlighting their vital role as the foundation of India’s construction ecosystem. These programmes formally validate years of informal on-site experience, converting it into NSQF-aligned, industry-recognised certification delivered by CSDCI-certified trainers. The 10-day learn-while-you-earn model combines 1 hour of daily classroom theory with 7 hours of supervised on-the-job training, ensuring no wage loss or disruption to active sites. Certifications cover key trades: masonry (general, tiling, plastering), shuttering carpentry, and bar bending & steel fixing. CREDAI plans to significantly scale these efforts, targeting the certification of 50,000 construction workers across the country in the coming years.
To further strengthen the sector’s talent pipeline, CREDAI’s Junior Engineering Programme equips young civil engineers with practical site knowledge, technical readiness, and enhanced employability to meet the demands of rapid urbanisation. Complementing this, CREDAI has forged strategic partnerships with premier institutions for developer leadership development. In collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad, CREDAI offers the Real Estate Development Leadership (RED-L) Programme, a 6-month executive course designed for developers with 7–10 years of experience, focusing on strategic leadership, governance excellence, and industry transformation. Separately, the IIM Bangalore–CREDAI Business Leadership Programme (BLP), develops visionary leaders equipped with advanced skills in strategic thinking, emerging technologies, operational excellence, and adaptive change management in a rapidly evolving sector.
Shekhar Patel, President, CREDAI, said,
“As urbanisation and real estate growth accelerate, industry bodies bear a profound responsibility to invest in long-term environmental outcomes. The Western Ghats, sustaining millions through its biodiversity and water resources, has faced decades of degradation, making large-scale restoration an urgent imperative. Launching the second phase of our flagship reforestation drive, we are advancing science-led native-species revival, community stewardship, and rigorous monitoring to regenerate biodiversity, recharge groundwater, restore soil health, strengthen climate resilience, and create enduring livelihoods for local communities.
This reflects CREDAI’s commitment to balance development with ecological responsibility through structured, measurable, and scalable interventions that contribute to India’s ecological security. In parallel, our felicitation of RPL-certified workers and leadership collaborations with IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore further support workforce dignity and sectoral capability. Together, these efforts align with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 to foster inclusive, responsible, and eco-resilient growth. We at CREDAI are deeply proud to lead this transformative socio-ecological action.”