I take this opportunity to thank you all for your commendable support during the last financial year. I express my special appreciation for your contribution that enabled us to surpass the ambitious business targets we set at the beginning of the year.
For the record, our Group's turnover exceeded an impressive US$ 1.5 billion this year. I am confident that this inspiring trend will continue, and that our teamwork will power us past the US$ 5 billion mark by 2012-13.
Having successfully established ourselves internationally as an EPC player, I believe the time has come to move our company to the next level. We look forward to now assuming the strategic role of a developer. By making significant investments towards enhancing our stake in projects -- particularly those related to creating infrastructural assets like roads, power plants and ports -- we intend to go beyond mere construction to actually owning them.
We expect this initiative to enlarge our global presence further. Already, KSS , from Kazakhstan has rapidly expanded its operations in India and Turkmenistan, and is close to finalizing business ventures in the promising Middle East region. With our reoriented approach, we will doubtlessly break into newer markets soon.
I am pleased to acknowledge that our performance on the parameters of Safety and Environment has been exemplary. All our projects have set the highest standards of operations in these two critical aspects. I mention this especially because, today, issues like ecological protection and sustainable development are the top priorities the world over.
In short, it has been a fulfilling year for KSS. But all this would not have been possible without the unflagging support of our large and committed team. Our people, wherever located, are our true strength. Their calibre is the fuel for our growth. And as we stand poised to scale greater heights, we look forward to having an even stronger and mutually rewarding relationship with them.
I look forward to the next year with confidence and hope. I am optimistic that, together, we can achieve every target that we set ourselves.