New Delhi, Aug 6 (KNN) The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has made a major economic difference to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in many states through its latest technology and measures.

“CSIR is partnering with the National Innovation Council to provide strategy and technology interventions needed for enhancing the base of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME),” said the Minister of Science and Technology  S Jaipal Reddy here.

Significantly, it has reduced the dependency on Ukraine clay from 20 per cent to about one per cent by developing indigenous substitute of the clay in granite ceramic tiles, which has helped the SMEs of Gujarat.  

Concentrating on rural and small towns, CSIR has developed technologies for food processing, building and construction, enhancing portability of water, cultivation and processing of economic plants, roads, farm machinery, solar rickshaw, leather, pottery etc.  

Further, it has adopted some clusters such as the brass cluster in Moradabad, bamboo cluster in Agartala, auto cluster in Faridabad, Ayurveda cluster in Thrissur etc and supported them with various initiatives.

For instance, it has developed a lacquer to give better shine to brass of the Moradabad cluster. Also, a cheaper alternative to Jiget, a binding material for making agarbatties has been developed for the Agartala bamboo cluster.  

The technologies developed have been gainfully utilized in several states benefiting many villages and small towns, Reddy said.

The research has also empowered people in the Kashmir Valley through creation of aromatic industry, development of bio-inoculants for enhancing plant productivity etc.

Further, mushroom technology transfer and training has benefitted rural women in North-East states, and the ethnic products promotion for economic development has benefitted the women entrepreneurs of Manipur. 

CSIR has adopted villages to promote employment generation. It has catalysed commercial cultivation of geranium in Uttaranchal and lavender in Jammu and Kashmir through community participation.

Farmers have been trained not only for cultivation of these plants but also for extraction of oil. Its efforts to develop niche mentha varieties and their propagation for mass cultivation have led India to acquire a world leadership position in menthol mint oil production and export, he said.  

Meanwhile, CSIR has set up post-harvest centres in Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. The centres have technology for high efficiency drying and processing of ginger, cardamom, turmeric, chillies etc.   (KNN/GUNJ)