Coir Board signs MoU with IIT-Madras for setting up 'Centre of Excellence' to boost use of coir

New Delhi, May 5 (KNN) The Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Coir Board and IIT Madras for setting up a Centre of Excellence to boost the use of coir “exclusively or in combination with other natural fibres.”

The IIT-Madras had earlier validated the research studies so far undertaken by the Coir Board and other agencies in India on Coir Geo-Textiles (CGT) and recommended that CGT can be successfully used to prevent soil erosion in slopes/embankments, river embankments, mine slope dumps stabilization etc.

As per the MSME Ministry’s statement on Thursday, the Coir Board will also provide Rs 5 crores in financial assistance initially for two years for setting up and operating the Centre of Excellence.

''The centre of Excellence (CoE) will also aid the development of relevant technology and improve production and processing standards through specific projects and monitor research projects,'' the statement added.

The centre will also support in the creation of the intellectual property rights and technology transfer.

So far, 27 areas of R&D needs of the Coir industry have been identified, to be taken up by this Centre of Excellence, in addition to 10 in-house projects of IITM, in machinery development and road projects.