Minutes of Core Group Meeting on February 28, 2011

Minutes of the Meeting of Core Group of RuTAG- IITD held on 28^th   February, 2011 in the NRCVEE Committee Room, IIT Delhi.

A Meeting of the Core Group of RuTAG-IITDelhi was held on 28^th  February, 2011 in the NRCVEE 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. Major S. Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Office of PSA
3. Prof. Rajendra Prasad, Coordinator/PI, RuTAG-IIT 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. V.K.Vijay, PI of the Project on Biogas Conversion Kit & Enrichment System.
7. Dr. G.P. Govil, Expert Advisor of the Project on Biogas Conversion Kit & Enrichment System.
8. Dr. Vipul Jain, PI of the Project on Short Term Management Programme for Rural Enterprises .
9. Dr. Nomesh Bolia, Co-PI of the Project on Short Term Management Programme for Rural Enterprises
10. Dr. Jagpal Singh,(Contract), RuTAG-IIT Delhi.
11. Shri Ram Gopal Agnihotri, Project Assistant, RuTAG-IIT Delhi.
12. Shri Bhupendra Paliwal, Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation, Bharatpur (Rajasthan).
13. Dr.Chandra Prakash, Asstt. Professor, Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala (Punjab).
14. Shri Vibhash Trivedi, Project Assistant, Project on Comparative Study of Bullock Driven Tractor.
15.  Shri Rishabh Rajput, Project Assistant.
16.  Shri R.P.Tiwari, Special Invitee.

Prof. R. R. Gaur, Chairman, Core Group of  RuTAG-IIT Delhi welcomed the participants. Prof. Rajendra Prasad, Coordinator/PI of RuTAG-IITD introduced the participants present in the meeting. He made a Power point presentation about the RuTAG activities of other RuTAG units, the completed and ongoing projects at IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati and IIT Kharagpur. The Chairman requested Major S. Chatterjee to apprise about some successful projects implemented under RuTAG. Major Chatterjee mentioned about following successful projects supported under RuTAG:

IIT Madras

• Sanitary Napkins – Development of improved materials.
• Cost Effective Cloth Diaper Set and Nappy Pad.  

RuTAG Uttarakhand/IIT Roorkee

• Development of Improved Systems of Gravity Based Ropeways for Hilly Regions in Uttarakhand.
• Location of Recharge Zones to Drying Springs in Mountainous Region in Uttarakhand Using Isotope Hydro-Geochemical Techniques.

IIT Kharagpur

• Pedal Driven multispindle Charkha

The Chairman informed the Group that in Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Industrialisation (MGIRI) Wardha about 20 technologies were disseminated in the field including Vermi-compost Testing Kit, Improved Potters Wheel, Khadi finished Technology etc. The Chairman emphasized that we should identify local technical groups based on applied field oriented work and involve them to scout problems and needs of technology at grass-root level. He requested Shri Bhupendra Paliwal of Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation, Bharatpur (Rajasthan) to apprise about the problems that emerged during the meeting of RuTAG on 25^th November, 2009 at Bharatpur and follow up action taken on those problems. Shri Paliwal briefed that not much action had so far been taken on those problems. He stressed that technological solutions on the problems that had emerged during the meeting need to be followed up. He stated that the NGOs from different regions of Rajasthan had been invited to participate in the workshop. The participants who attended the workshop were there mainly from different districts like Bharatpur, Jaipur, Baran and so on. A Core Group had been formed for the state of Rajasthan to pursue the activities there under RuTAG. He was of the view that a meeting of the members of the Core Group for Rajasthan be conducted at Jaipur as to follow up action as soon as possible. Shri Paliwal informed that Lupin Foundation is setting up Technology Demonstration Centre and E-Resource Centre at Neemrana. The Chairman, however, indicated to first concentrate on the problems already identified.

Dr. Chandra Prakash, Asstt. Professor, Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala presented gist of the discussions held during the meeting on 8^th November, 2010 there under RuTAG. He stated that most of the problems that emerged in the meeting were related to the Agriculture; Water harvesting, conservation and management; Post-harvest technologies and Agri-waste management. The focus of the discussion was on eco-friendly farming. Major Chatterjee stated that we have to concentrate more on Non-farm sector. The Chairman indicated that we may conduct a meeting with selected Rural Polytechnics, Technical institutions, NGOs, KVIC and Punjab State Council of S&T to identify problems to be taken up under RuTAG.

The Chairman requested Dr. Jagpal Singh and Mr. Ram Gopal Agnihotri to present the problems identified in the meeting of RuTAG held on 26^th March, 2010 in the MPCOST at Bhopal and the report of the RuTAG-Team visited to M.P. briefly focusing on the problems and needs identified during the visit.

Dr. Jagpal Singh apprised about the problems that had been listed in the meeting of RuTAG at Bhopal. He stated that the visit of the RuTAG-Team to Mahakaushal Region of M.P. was the follow up of that meeting. He told that the team visited Paryavaran Sanrakshan Avam Adivasi Vikas Kendra, Jabalpur and Sahajivan Samiti, Shahadol. Two Officers of MPCOST also joined the visit. These NGOs have specifically highlighted following two major problems on which RuTAG can consider to work:

1. Up-gradation of the prevailing traditional technology of De-husking of smaller millets with traditional Okhli and Mooshal to reduce drudgery of the tribal women and up-gradation of the traditional Chakki made of mud being used by tribal women for grinding (Flour making) of smaller millets.
2. Technology for mechanical processing of Aonla as there is no machine at present for removing seed of Aonla from the fruit, no machine for extracting juice from Aonla, no machine for Aonla shredding and no grinding machine.

During discussion Major Chatterjee indicated that there seems to be some machine for mechanical processing of Aonla in the field which need to be found out. The Chairman emphasized that there is need to take up these problems for technology solution under RuTAG.

Prof. S.K.Saha, PI of the Project on ‘Evaluation and Standardization of Animal Driven Water Pump’ briefed about the progress of work which was going on well. However, he indicated that the field test of the gear box with modified new helical gear pair will start at Kanpur in first week of March 2011. As per original plan the field testing will require three months. Due to delay in recruiting appropriate project staff after the funds were received on 1st April, 2010 and the late delivery of the gear box by the Kanpur manufacturer, the testing will now start in March 2011 instead of September 2010. The testing will be completed by June-July 2011. Therefore, he required an extension of the project duration by a few months within the already sanctioned budget but with some modifications of the budget heads to complete the project. The Committee agreed to the request for extension of the duration of the project within sanctioned budget.

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’ submitted to office of PSA- discussed the comments received and the reply envisaged for the same. In the light of the discussion he was requested to submit the proposal taking in to account the comments received and reply for the same.

Dr. V. K. Vijay, PI and Dr. G. P. Govil, Expert Advisor of the Project on ‘Biogas Conversion Kit & Enrichment System’ gave a brief about the progress of the project. He informed that the engine and gen. set have been procured and testrig is being set up in a Goshala at Nazafgarh. The project is going on well and expected to be completed in time.

Dr. Vipul Jain, PI and Dr. Nomesh Bolia, Co-PI of the Project on ‘Short Term Management Programme for Rural Enterprises’ submitted to the Office of PSA – discussed the comments received and the reply for the same. Following suggestions were made by the members:

1. Increasing duration of the exposure from 7 days  to 10 days.
2. Recasting the budget of the project reasonably.
3. Incorporate the information on similar courses conducted by IRMA and XLRI including the cost per trainee being charged by other agencies /Institutions in the field conducting such courses.

They were requested to resubmit the project with the necessary modifications.

Shri Vibhash Trivedi, Project Assistant of the Project on ‘Comparative Study of Bullock Driven Tractor’ informed that the project has  been completed and the draft of final report was ready. He explained the salient features of the report of the project. The report will be reviewed by the Chairman and the Coordinator of RuTAG and finalized and then submitted to the Office of PSA after due inclusion of the comments received from the members.

The Chairman requested Shri R.P. Tiwari, an expert on Khadi and Rural Textiles, who was specially invited in this meeting to apprise as how his rich expertise and experiences of working with KVIC can be utilized in RuTAG for identifying the problems and needs of the grassroot areas, particularly in States like M.P. and Rajasthan and interact with Director, MPKVI Board to identify their needs. Shri Tiwari indicated that he will visit these areas and will explore the possibilities of associating with RuTAG.

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