| TARA :          Creating Products and Technology Services        for the Mass Market         Dr Arun Kumar               akumar@devalt.org
 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 substantial investments and government         largesse, huge sections of our society continue to be marginalised.         Surely, there must be opportunities for new products and services that         can cater to the mass market.
 The TARA Business
 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 :                        | Ü | Business             solutions for small enterprises |              | Ü | Technology promotion |              | Ü | TARA             Laboratories |              | Ü | TARA             branded products |  The business groups, the services provided, and the major client groups         that are serviced by TARA are given in detail (see box on page 3).
 Business Solutions
 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.  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. 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.           TARA Laboratories
 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:                        | Ü | Jal TARA             Water Testing Kit |              | Ü | Jal TARA             Drinking Water Testing Kit |              | Ü | Jal TARA             Fluoride Testing Kit |              | Ü | Jal TARA             Nitrate Testing Kit |  The TARA Network
 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                                                                                                                                                                     Back to Contents                 |