Minutes of Core Group Meeting on August 30, 2011

Minutes of the Meeting of the Core Group of RuTAG - IITD held on 30^th August, 2011 in the CRDT Committee Room, IIT Delhi.

A Meeting of the Core Group of RuTAG, IIT Delhi was held on 30^th August, 2011 in the CRDT Committee Room, IIT Delhi under the chairmanship of Prof. R.R. Gaur. Following were present:

1. Prof. R. R. Gaur, Chairman, Core Group, RuTAG, IIT Delhi.
2. Prof. V. K. Vijay, Co-PI, RuTAG- IIT Delhi, Member, Core Group and PI of the Project on Development of Biogas Engine Conversion Kit.
3. Major S. Chatterjee, Senior Project Consultant and Member, Core Group, Office of the PSA, Vigyan Bhavan Annexe, New Delhi.
4. Prof. S. K. Saha, PI of the Project on Evaluation and Standardization of Animal Driven Water Pump.
5. Prof. P.M.V. Subbarao, PI of the Project on Technology Standardization and Testing cum Training Facility for Ultra-micro (Pico) Hydel Power Package for Rural Applications.
6. Dr. Vipul Jain, PI of the Project on Short Term Management Development Programme for Rural Enterprises.
7. Dr. G. P. Govil, Expert Advisor of the Project on Development of Biogas Engine Conversion Kit.
8. Shri Raj Kumar Gupta, Project Staff, Evaluation and Standardization of Animal Driven Water Pump.
9. Dr. Jagpal Singh, RuTAG, IIT Delhi.
10. Shri Ram Gopal Agnihotri, Project Assistant, RuTAG, IIT Delhi.
11. Prof. Rajendra Prasad, Coordinator/PI and Convener, Core Group. RuTAG, IIT Delhi.  

Prof. R. R. Gaur, Chairman, Core Group, RuTAG, IIT Delhi welcomed the participants and started the proceedings of the meeting.

Agenda item No. 1.: Confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting of the Core Group:

The minutes of the meeting of the Core Group of RuTAG, IIT Delhi held on 29^th June, 2011 were already circulated to all the members/participants. No comment had been received. The minutes of the last meeting were deemed as confirmed.

Agenda item No. 2. : Action Taken on the decisions taken in the last meeting:

A.  RuTAG activities in Rajasthan:

Prof. Rajendra Prasad, Coordinator/PI, RuTAG-IITDelhi told that as per decision in the last meeting a draft project proposal on Demonstration, Field Testing, Evaluation and Standardization of Garlic Processing Machines has been formulated. It will be presented in this meeting.

Besides, he told that a two days workshop has been planned to be conducted at Jaipur between 20-30 September, 2011 for deliberation of the technologies developed under RuTAG programme and some other technologies. The partner NGO in Rajasthan will be identified in this workshop to speed up the RuTAG activities in Rajasthan State.

2.  RuTAG activities  in Madhya Pradesh:

As per decision in the last meeting a draft project proposal on Field Testing, Evaluation and Standardization of Technology for Mechanical De-husking of Minor Millets is being formulated.

A two days workshop has been planned to be conducted for the S&T institutions and NGOs at Bhopal between 17-19 September, 2011 for deliberation of the technologies developed under RuTAG programme and some other technologies.

3. Status of project on ‘Technology Standardization and Development of Testing-cum-Training Facility for Ultra-micro Hydel Power Package for Rural Applications’:

The project has been sanctioned and first instalment of funds has been received. The PI of the Project has been requested to present Action plan of the project before the Core Group in this meeting.

4.  Status of sanctioned project on ‘Management Development Programme for Rural Enterprises’:

As informed in the last meeting, the training programme will be conducted during November 10-19, 2011. First letter is to be issued to the participants by the Office of the PSA. We had requested to the Office of the PSA for the same.

5.   Review of progress of the ongoing Projects:

1. Evaluation and Standardization of Animal Driven Water Pump:

The project has been completed. The project was presented in the Central RuTAG Meeting at IIT Roorkee. The Final report is awaited from the PI.

b. Development of Biogas Engine Conversion Kit:

The project has been completed. The project was presented in the Central RuTAG Meeting at IIT Roorkee. The Final report is awaited from the PI.

6.  Status of Final Report of the Project on A comparative Study of Bullock Driven Tractors: 

The Final Report is ready to be submitted to the Office of PSA.

7.   Enhancement of salary for the project staff:

The proposal was submitted to the office of the PSA for consideration.

Agenda item No. 3: Brief of RuTAG-IIT Delhi activities deliberated in the Central RuTAG meeting held on August 17-18, 2011 at  IIT Roorkee:

Prof. Rajendra Prasad informed that a brief note on presentation of RuTAG-IIT Delhi activities deliberated in the Central RuTAG meeting held on August 17-18, 2011 at  IIT Roorkee has been circulated to the members for information.

Agenda item No. 4:  Discussion on completed projects:

(i)   Evaluation and Standardization of Animal Driven Water Pump:

Prof. S.K.Saha informed that Rs. 1,00,000/- had been released by the Office of PSA as the second instalment against the balance of Rs.1,31,600/-. On this Major Chatterjee stated that the balance will be released after receipt of the final report and Audited Accounts and Utilisation Certificate.

The Committee decided that second set of Animal Driven Water Pump will be kept at IIT Delhi for the demonstration and training purposes. Dr. Saha was requested to prepare a pamphlet on the technology, close the project, prepare and submit the final report of the project by the end of September, 2011.

The Chairman fixed a meeting for detailed discussion about the new projects with Prof. Saha at 4 PM on Friday the 2^nd September, 2011 in Room No. III-343.  

(ii)  Development of Biogas Engine Conversion Kit.

Dr. Govil informed that the project had been completed. The device is ready for live demonstration. He said that he himself is the manufacturer of the device. The Committee requested him to work out the cost and customize the package performance. Prepare a technical pamphlet and final report by the end of September, 2011. An assessment of the working of the device will be shortly decided by the Chairman. Major Chatterjee will be present during the assessment.

(iii)  A comparative Study of Bullock Driven Tractors.

Prof. Rajendra Prasad informed the Committee that the Final Report is ready to be submitted.

Agenda item No. 5:  Planning for recently sanctioned projects:

(i)    Management Development Programme for Rural Enterprises.

Dr. Vipul Jain apprised the Committee about the preparations for the Programme. He told that the Course Contents of the training and Resource persons had been finalized.

Major Chatterjee handed over a list of S&T oriented NGOs to be invited for the Programme. He suggested that Shri Ved Arya and Dr. D. Raghunandan may be invited as Resource Person. The Committee viewed that NGOs associated with KVIC, Village industries, Participants in the meetings conducted by RuTAG-IITDelhi, TRCs of CAPART may also be considered. The NGOs preferably should be from the states of UP, MP, Rajasthan and Haryana, though other could also be invited. The list of about 45-50 invitees may be finalized by 5^th September,2011. The invitations may be sent by 15^th September, 2011.

(ii) Technology Standardization and Development of Testing-cum-Training Facility for Ultra-micro Hydel Power Package for Rural Applications.

Prof. Subbarao apprised the Committee that the Plan for construction of underground tank in an area of 6 meterX6 meter has been located at Micro-model, CRDT,IIT Delhi.

The Chairman fixed a meeting with Prof. Subbarao at 2 PM on 9^th September, 2011 for discussing detailed planning about the project.

Agenda item No. 6:  Discussion about new projects:

(i) Project on Demonstration, Field Testing, Evaluation and Standardization of Garlic Processing Machines.

Dr. Jagpal Singh made a power presentation of the project proposal. During discussions following points emerged:

1. The details about the machines such as their availability, manufacturer, operation/working, capacity, cost etc. need to be found out.
2. Dr. N. K. Jain, Research Engineer, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology, Udaipur claiming to have developed these machines under a DST project and installed at KVK, Antah for demonstration. Whether these had been in operation or simply kept for demonstration? Whether some field trials have been conducted? If so, details thereof.
3. Why these machines had not been popularized?
4. The budged need to be reduced.
5. Dr. N.K. Jain may be invited for discussion in the IIT Delhi.
6. A team from RuTAG-IIT Delhi could visit Udaipur or Antah for collecting detailed information about the functioning of these machines.

The Committee recommend to collect these information and then present the proposal before the next meeting.

(ii) Development of Dehusking and Milling Machines for Minor Millets.

Prof. Rajendra Prasad indicated that a Thresher-cum-Pearler machine for finger millet and Barnyard millet was designed and developed by Dr. K. P. Singh at Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (ICAR), Almora, Uttarakhand. The machine performs the dual operation of threshing and pearling of finger millet simultaneously and threshing, de-husking and polishing operation of Barnyard millet using separate runs with suitable sieves at a very low operational cost. The machine is reportedly being manufactured by M/S Punjab Agricultural Implements Private Limited, Railway Road, Saharan Pur (UP). But it has not yet been popularized. We may consider evaluating, standardizing and optimizing this machine under RuTAG-IIT Delhi.

The Committee viewed that detailed information about the machine may be collected.

Agenda item No. 7:  Discussion regarding the workshops to be conducted for the S&T      institutions and NGOs in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for feedback on the technologies developed under RuTAG programme and also identify technogies/Problems from the field for further work:

Prof. Rajendra Prasad informed the Committee that first Workshop for two days will be conducted on 14-15 September, 2011 at SIRD, Lucknow in which about 25 S&T basedNGOs and S&T Institutions engaged in rural development will be invited for attending the deliberation on the technologies developed under RuTAG programme as well as identify technologies/problems. Another Workshop will be conducted at Bhopal and third workshop will be conducted at Jaipur. The dates of these two workshops may be decided later. The potential areas and NGOs where these technologies could be disseminated may be identified in the workshop.

Following points emerged during the discussion:

1. There should be problem planning.
2. Sufficient home work is required to be done before the workshop.
3. If a  problem is identified, is there an existing technology available?
4. Details of improvement /technical interventions required.
5. Training required for disseminating a technology should be clearly worked out.
6. Scope of dissemination could be clearly defined.
7. The technology should have potential for mass dissemination.
8. The cost of the technology should be clearly defined.
9. The venders and manufacturer of the technology need to be identified,
10. The pamphlets and information material for each of the technology need to be prepared.
11. Emphasis should be to get the feedback from the NGOs/people.
12. Questionnaire need to be developed for the same.
13. Demand based approach should be taken.
14. Entrepreneurs, NGOs and artisans should be involved.
15. IIT should provide crucial intervention, higher level of backup, technical support, hand holding for the developers, manufacturers and the users for promoting the technology.

Major Chatterjee emphasized that advance planning and home work for the structure of the workshop should be done well in advance including presentation, focus on the technology and opportunity for explanation. IIT should take responsibility for any failure of the technology in the field. Rapports with some active NGOs can serve the objectives better.

The Chairman emphasized on Identification of clusters, identify problems, identify technologies, try to satisfy the needs and explain the basic concept of the technology to all.

Major Chatterjee indicated that there should be evaluation of machines developed under RuTAG-IIT Delhi.

It was decided that workshop in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan could be taken up in October, 2011. The NGOs may be identified for that.

The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair.