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TARA : Creating
Technology, Products and Services for the Mass Market
Dr. Arun Kumar arunkumar@sdalt.ernet.in
T he rural economy in India is virtually untouched by modern technology and technology services. It is a classical example of market failure ; on one hand the existence of vast and real human needs actually transforms to little demand, and on the other hand a huge surplus capacity exists to generate products and yet there is a limited supply and no choice.The process of globalisation has added to the complexities and woes of the national markets. Conventional wisdom maintains that large scale industry will respond and supply the goods and services needed by the masses. The evidence to date is that this is not possible. There has been a marked progress in the manufacturing sector, efficiency being derived purely from an increase in the level of automation and capital investments. In spite of these investments and government largesse, huge sections of our society continue to be marginalised. They are neither able to access the industrially manufactured goods and services nor benefit by way of employment from the manufacturing sector. Surely, there must be opportunities for new products and services that can cater to the mass market. Economic growth in the rural economy can be driven by a mix of clean and efficient production systems operating at diverse scales, including the micro and small scale. This will require technology based livelihood solutions that are easily converted into small businesses and trades. Trades that generate income, create goods and provide services for the teeming millions residing in over 5,70,000 villages in India. The TARA Business TARA, Technology and Action for Rural Advancement is the commercial wing of the Development Alternatives Group. The main aim of TARA is to demonstrate that technology and business innovations are adopted on a large scale to establish alternative economic opportunities in rural India. The entire TARA venture is driven by a desire to convert appropriate technologies into sustainable trades, marketable products and useful services delivered in a decentralised manner. TARA has four main lines of businesses:
The business groups, the services provided, and the major client groups that are serviced by TARA are given in detail (see box). Business Solutions TARA provides business solutions to small and micro entrepreneurs. The enterprises are provided with state-of-art technologies that use local resources and local skills to produce goods and services used in local markets. The technologies provided by TARA are in the area of building material production, brick production, energy production, paper recycling and hand loom textiles. The investments required for setting up of viable businesses using TARA technologies vary from Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 6 Lacs. These enterprises have achieved annual turn over of Rs. 6 Lacs for the micro enterprises (e.g. MCR) and Rs. 20 Lacs for small scale enterprises (e.g. VSBK). TARA provides the complete technology hardware with technical support for commissioning, production and training in application. The TARA technology packages are totally self contained and the gestation period for stable production is within one to two weeks. TARA is able to customise solutions for small entrepreneurs as in the case of brick production using Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln technology. The kiln is designed on the basis of local soil conditions and the quality of bricks prevalent in the local market. TARA supports the entrepreneurs with training in application of the product. For example, over 300 entrepreneurs nationwide who use the TARA micro concrete roofing technology are able to provide complete roofing services to clients at affordable costs. Between them, they have installed over 10 million tiles on roofs with a turn over of over Rs. 20 crores. For energy efficient technologies, TARA also provides small financial support in the form of loans which is made possible through a Revolving Fund, created with assistance from the Rockfellor Foundation. TARA also supports women self help groups to set up viable businesses. Groups of upto 25 women, such as the Sahariya Sangram Samiti in Orchha and Shiv Mahila Mandal in Gujarat, are actively producing handmade paper products that are being commercially marketed. TARA has also supported supported CORE (a voluntary organisation in Orissa) in commissioning the Ashraya Building Material Services Centre. The constituent members of this enterprise are predominantly tribal women. The enterprise offers building materials and construction services in the district of Cuttack.
Technology Promotion TARA provides marketing support for externally sourced building technologies by establishing collaborative modes of association. The services offered include verification of the technology package, demonstration of product application and sourcing of projects that incorporate the use of the building technology. TARA currently offers support for Ferrocement Roofing Technology (BMTPC), Concrete Building Products (Susanji Udyog Pvt. Ltd.) and Interlocking Block Technology (Hydraform India Pvt. Ltd.). An extensive network of building material enterprises was set up in Gujarat with TARA assistance using the technology package provided by M/s Susanji Udyog Pvt. Ltd. A major housing project in cyclone affected Orissa, financed by CARE, was completed with extensive use of Hydraform Interlocking Blocks and Ferrocement Roofing technology. In its endeavour to extend the markets for appropriate technologies and ease the availability of equipment, TARA also licenses manufacture of TARA equipment to reputed machine manufacturers and fabricators. TARA has licensed the manufacture of TARA MCR equipment to M/s S.K. Industries, Patna, and manufacture of TARA Brick Extruder to M/s Automech Engineers, Gwalior. TARA undertakes joint technology promotion in new geographical zones with Technology Consultancy Organisations (TCOs) and other partners. TARA Laboratories The TARA Environment Monitoring and Material Certification Facility under the head of TARA Laboratories provides environmental monitoring services and waste management solutions to a host of institutional users including Pollution Control Boards, State Government and Industry. It is equipped with standard calibrated equipment including Atomic Absorption Spectro Photometer, UV Spectro Photometer, Nanopure Unit and Combustion Analyser. The TARA services include monitoring and testing services for water quality, air quality and soil quality. TARA Laboratories offers quality performance monitoring services, including energy and environmental auditing, for brick kilns, lime kilns and stone crushers. For water testing, TARA Laboratories offers complete services for water quality testing with special emphasis on drinking water. TARA Laboratories also offers waste management solutions for industry. TARA Laboratories has developed an array of highly successful products that include
Branded Products TARA promotes eco-friendly technology for manufacture of handmade recycled paper. An optimally scaled enterprise was set up by TARA at its technology resource centre in TARAgram, Orchha. TARA brand of handmade paper is established as the leading brand of handmade paper, currently available in India. Following its success with handmade paper, TARA brand of hand crafted paper products have also been launched. TARA brand paper products are currently marketed to corporations for corporate stationery, retailers for carry bags, eco products for gifts and a host of other users. The TARA brand of paper and paper products are marketed nationwide. The TARAcrete brand of building products are marketed by the TARA building centres located in Delhi and Orchha, Madhya Pradesh. The TARAcrete building products include micro concrete roofing tiles, ferrocement roofing channels, structural elements such as beams, lintels; fly ash and compressed earth blocks, concrete blocks including paving blocks and other elements. The TARA Network TARA also operates a network of subsidiaries promoted by it; TARA Nirman Kendra (TNK), TARAhaat and DESI Power. TARA Nirman Kendras are building centres which act as supermarkets for construction technologies, building materials and construction services promoted by TARA. They also provide training, design services and technical support to entrepreneurs, contractors and agencies involved in reconstruction projects. TARAhaat is an information and communication technology based initiative for rural India. It is a gateway that connects the village user to information, services, government agencies, products and all kind of markets. TARAhaat provides services and products through a network of franchised cyber community and business centres called TARA Kendras and offers innovative courses in local languages; currently Hindi, Punjabi and English. TARAhaat is the winner of the Stockholm Challenge Award in 2001 for its efforts in bridging the digital divide. DESI Power Pvt. Ltd. has been set up to deliver energy services to rural communities which are not connected to the national grid. The electricity generation is based on renewable energy technologies, notably biomass gasification and solar photovoltaics. DESI Power customises energy services for rural communities and rural industries through its association with TARA. Together, the TARA group of organisations are structured to focus on creation of sustainable livelihoods in large numbers, and demonstrate that DEVELOPMENT IS GOOD BUSINESS. q
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