| TARA : Creating Products and Technology Services for the Mass Market
Technology and Action for Rural Advancement (TARA) 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 :
TARA provides business solutions to small and micro entrepreneurs. The enterprises are provided with state-of-the-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 handloom textiles. The investments required for setting up viable businesses using TARA technologies, vary from Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 6 Lacs. These enterprises have achieved an 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. TARA is able to customise solutions for small entrepreneurs engaged in 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 provides assistance and information for project financing, clearance from State Pollution Control Borad and regulatory agencies. After construction, TARA provides commissioning assistance till stabilisation of production and quality. For end to end solutions, TARA charges a technology fee; usually about 10 per cent of the project cost. TARA also supports the entrepreneurs with training in application of the product. For example, over 500 entrepreneurs nationwide, who use the TARA micro concrete roofing technology, are able to provide complete roofing services to clients. Between them, they have installed over 15 million tiles on roofs with a turnover of over Rs. 30 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 Rockefeller Foundation.
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. Its notable achievements are the continued association on 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. The Ashraya Building Material Services Centre with CORE is a fine example of technology promotion. In its endeavour to extend the markets for appropriate technologies and ease the availability of equipment, TARA also licenses the 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 the manufacture of TARA Brick Extruder to M/s Automech Engineers, Gwalior. TARA undertakes joint technology promotion in new geographical zones with partners like STED, BMTPC and State Pollution Boards.
The TARA Environmental 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 Governments and the 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 the industry. TARA Laboratories has developed an array of highly successful products that include:
TARA also operates a network of subsidiaries promoted by it, namely 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 connecting the village user to information, services, government agencies, products and all kinds 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. 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 | ||||||||||||||||
