MGIRI, Wardha - Study tour

A team of officers of AP Khadi and VI Board visited MGIRI, [Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Industrialization], a national institute under the ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Govt. of India at Wardha, Maharashtra on 11.04.2011.

Dr T Karunakaran, the Director of the Institute made the team of Officers understand the functions and activities of the Institute in brief and arranged for interaction with the Dy Director and/or the Scientific Officer of all the 6 major divisions of the Institute.

Origin of the Institute

All India Village Industries Association (AIVIA) on 14.2.1934 at Maganwadi, Wardha, Maharashtra was initiated by Mahatma. The AIVIA soon got reorganized in a spacious orchard belonging to Seth Jamnalal Bajaj. Gandhiji stayed here during 1934-36 and supervised the works of AIVIA. Maganwadi become a hub of rural industrial activity and a center to coordinate industrial experiences and knowledge from all parts of the country with focus on research, production, training, extension, organization, propaganda and publication.

AIVIA succeeded in reviving and nurturing a number of rural industries by way of introducing science and technology to the extent required. Paddy husking, flour grinding, Oil pressing, Palmgur making, Paper making, Soap making, Village Pottery, Paints and Ink Making, Magan Dipa were some of the industrial directions. The new processes, techniques and machines were brought to the knowledge of public through exhibitions. AIVIA also struggled to bring about a transformation in the villages in terms of sanitation, improved diet, indigenous health care and local resource based employment

In the year 1955, KVIC created Jamnalal Bajaj Central Research Institute (JBCRI) to carry forward the R&D works of AIVIA. From 1st, April 1957, this institute came under Khadi and Village Industries Commission, which it self was established in 1956. The objective of JBCRI was to carry on research and investigations in to the problems of Village industries and in particular the development of improved tools and techniques. KVIC added new schemes like Food processing, Bio Chemistry, Lime Industry, Instrumentation etc. Certain modifications like wooden decoration made into steel, Ground Nut Sheller, modified Chakki, Recovery of bone and glue from flaying center, Honey standardization, and Pottery machines etc were made. The revamping of JBCRI into MGIRI based on a hub and spokes model was initiated in 2001 to meet the technological challenges arising out of the above paradigm shift.

Working of the Institute

The Vision of the MGRI is to support, upgrade and accelerate the process of Rural Industrialization in the country so that it could move towards the Gandhian ideal of sustainable village economy, self sufficient in employment and amenities by providing science and technology in puts to make the rural products and services globally competitive. The institution is having mainly seven divisions to work towards the above vision. Apart from the well experienced Director, each division is supported by a Deputy Director assisted by a Principal Scientific Officer, a Senior Scientist, Technical Assistants, Lab Technicians, Lab attendants and supporting staff.

Accompanied by the Public Relations Officer of the Institute, the team visited the following divisions and interacted with the Dy Director/Scientist concerned.

1. Bio- Process and Herbal division

The Division is to develop technology for innovative, value added high quality products for rural industries related to food products, herbal drugs, herbal cosmetics, nutraceuticals, feed supplements, bio- fertilizer, bio- pesticides, etc. Facilities available under the division are laboratories meant for providing quality testing and quality guidance to the rural enterprise. The Bio-labs are housed with advanced equipments.

Technology available for Commercialization is as follows.

• Innovative Bio- Manure Diagnostic kit for instant estimation of N.P.K and organic carbon in Bio – manures.
• Innovative Microbial Diagnostic Kit for instant estimation of Microbial population in bio-manures/ bio-fertilizers.
• Technology for nitrogen fixers and phosphate solublisors for sustainable agriculture etc.
• Technology to prepare Bio-pesticides under Micro Scale
• Technology of protein hydrolysate/amino acid for agro-based industry.
• Innovative Calcium Lactate Technology from sugar dust/Sugar, for food, feed and Pharmaceutical industry.
• New and innovative products like syrups, flavored and health care tea, herbal gulal, herbal hair oil, natural cosmetics etc.
• The following pilot plant facilities for incubation Scheme/ training.

Fermenter, Spray drier, solvent extraction plant, water extraction unit, essential oil extraction plant, dhoop-bathi and mosquito coil making machine. Infrastructure for biscuits & cookies, sandwiching, packaging, planetary mixer & juice extraction for pilot scale production etc.

2. Chemical Industries Division

This division is to provide & develop green technology and sustainable process based on rural and agro resources and also enables the basic needs like drinking water affordable to rural population through enterprise approach.


Facilities:

• Development of cost effective non chemical preservation and packing methods.
• Identification, extraction, separation and purification of agro chemicals for potential use.
• Enterprise related to waste recycling through clean technologies.
• Development of schemes for rural enterprise in chemical areas.
• Carrying out environmental impact assessment related to rural chemical industries.
• Scaling down the process and plant designs suitable for micro and small enterprise in the rural areas.
• The division is having testing facilities with well equipped lab.
• Testing of food related products as per AGMARK/PFA/FPO/BIS.
• Testing rural based products like soaps, oils, detergents, shampoos and cosmetics. Etc

3. Khadi & Textile Division:

The objective of this division is identification of problems in the khadi and textile sector and their amelioration through science, technology and management based innovation.

• The division is acting as hub to network the khadi related institutions
• Developing machines suitable for decentralized Khadi clusters.
• Providing leadership in product design and development.
• Creating quality norms, quality testing net work and quality guidance systems for Khadi sector.
• Dissemination of technologies through modern methods of training including incubation and thus
• Creating sustainable model of technology transfer.

Facilities:

Well equipped quality laboratory with more than two dozen testing instruments. Decentralized sliver plant, Solar Charkhas work sheds, Weaving work shed with Dobby/ Jacquard, semi automatic looms, design studio, hank dying machine, calendaring machine, stain removing unit, water softening plant/Jigger dyeing M/C, 2- bowl peddling mangles.

MGIRI – Solar charkha with textile technological aspects suited to the solar yarn, solar fab Mart model cheaper garments, solar yarn based hosiery products and rare textile products including medical textiles

It is informed that soft and stiff finish technology has been successfully transferred to the KVIC sector. Similarly quality codes for Khadi have been developed & transferred to the KVIC.

The concept of “Kapas to Kapada” [Cotton to Fabric] is successfully tested with low-cost equipment under one roof for various processes involved in khadi industry from cleaning of cotton to garment making.

Work on Ponduru Khadi:
The institution has taken up research work on Khadi being produced at Ponduru, Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. The main stress is being given to introduce modern equipment and machinery for preprocessing and spinning so that the cost can be reduced. It is informed that a study team has already visited Ponduru and technology development work is initiated. It is given to understand that the Institute is likely to give a report shortly.

4. Rural Craft and Engineering Division:

The object is to upgrade the skill, creativity of artisans by developing tools and machinery suitable for optimization of different craft work methodology. The division is working on

• Lacquer turn wood craft products
• Bell metal, brass craft products
• Terracotta Jewelry craft products,
• Wood craft products
• Aroma fancy wax products.

The North east Division of MGIRI is also developing bamboo based craft products and also introducing bamboo working tools to increase the productivity.

5. Energy and infrastructure division

The following set of activity directions were initiated by MGIRI in collaboration with IIT New Delhi

• Biogas clearing, Packaging and use in engines
• Micro hydal based work stations
• Briquetting systems on community scale
• Energy Conservation in potters kiln etc.

Latest achievements:

• Solar Charkhas: The mini solar charkha based cotton cluster experiment at Wardha has proved that the price of Garment could be drastically reduced while ensuring more than double the daily earning capacity of the workers.

• Hank dyeing Machine: This machine evolved with the potential of saving workers from drudgery, imperfection and low productivity. The batch processing machine has the capacity of handling five kg yarn in eight hours a day and has the innovative added functionality of drying the dyed yarn if necessary.

• Mercerizing Machine: The machine is useful for stain removing from the hanks and also for caustic treatment for increasing luster to the cloth. The machine is hazard free and hand operated.

• Packaging Machine: An affordable packing machine has developed by the division for the packaging of dry products like chilly, turmeric, spices and many more applications. It costs about one third of the traditional machines.

• Solar Potter`s Wheel: A solar potter’s wheel at a cost of Rs. 25,000/- has been developed by the division. It works on solar powered with fractional horse power motor and pedal operated.

• Power Tools: The department has also initiated development efforts in solar power tools with a view to help artisans in quality and productivity.

6. Management & Systems Division

This division provides information and Communication technologies based solutions for rural industrialization with a view to enhance their global competitiveness.

The division generates database information on

• Technology
• Innovative Products/ organizations
• Quality Standards of the processes and products.
• Help disseminate the technologies through e-learning
• Create e-based expert systems in collaboration with interface institutions of MGIRI that would guide MSMEs.

For MSME sector the division developed the following two websites: (1) www.ruralhaat.com and (2) www.greenkhadidesigns.com

www.ruralhaat.com This website provides visibility to the products of SHG`s, micro enterprises etc. whereby the potential consumer is expected to link with the producer through SMS/Email/ telephone. This is a free-to-use website and any entrepreneur can register and post his product or service information for free.

www.greenkhadidesigns.com This website assists khadi institutions in accessing trendy designs (both woven designs and costume designs) created through the net work of design labs of MGIRI and other locations. Basically this will cater to the garment network, solar fab mart/Khadi fab mart under development by MGIRI. Designs that are made available on this site can be used by Khadi producers, free of cost.

All the above divisions are offering consultancy services in product designing and technical development. Training programmes to the trainers are being organized by the MGIRI in innovative designs, technical development etc.