AKRUTI promotes youth entrepreneurship in and around Kudankulam

TARAPUR:

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The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), which is equipping the unemployed youth of 16 village panchayats under the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) colony with techno entrepreneurial skills through its Advanced Knowledge and Rural Technology Implementation (AKRUTI) programme, is all set to launch similar initiatives in villages surrounding the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP).

As Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the country’s premier multidisciplinary research and development centre under the Department of Atomic Energy, does, besides identifying newer nuclear power generation techniques, the centre is devising new, user-friendly and cost-effective technologies in the fields of nuclear science, radioisotopes, industry, health and agriculture etc. These technologies are being transmitted to the younger generation and the unemployed youth to make them entrepreneurs through AKRUTI, a societal initiative.

The non-power application and spin-off technologies of BARC, which can be used for societal and industrial benefits, are being taken to the younger generation who want to get involved in the fields of medical, food preservation, waste management and other rural and industrial applications.

After AKRUTI took roots in Boisar near TAPS 10 months ago to train the unemployed youth with the thirst for becoming entrepreneurs, it has so far produced 10-plus entrepreneurs through its meticulously designed training modules with the duration of a day’s training to a month-long skilling.

One of AKRUTI’s interesting technology transfers is the cost-effective foldable drier, which can be used for drying fruits, vegetables and fish. The rectangular or triangle-shaped drier having steel mesh trays is covered with rare conducting poly sheets to amplify the atmospheric heat to 200%. “If the temperature outside is 30 degree Celsius, the heat inside the drier would be 60 degree Celsius, which dries the fruits and vegetables easily to ensure longer shelf-life,” says Ranjit Singh, coordinator, AKRUTI, Boisor.

These foldable solar driers can also be used for drying fish in clean and hygienic environment as it has hanging and tightly tied steel wires. Since the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project is surrounded by 13 coastal hamlets, this type of drier will be of a boon to the fishermen, especially to the fisher women who can use it to hygienically dry the unsold fish within a short span to make more revenue.