IIT-K gears up to revive sick units

At present,there are over 6,500 industrial units in Kanpur — mainly of leather,biscuit,detergent,chemical,steel,engineering,textile and plastic. Due to heavy financial losses and tough competition,many among these have shut down in the recent past.

For instance,the number of biscuit industries has gone down from 47 to seven. The scene is similar in the engineering sector. Apart from a few prominent detergent companies,others have mostly faded away.

Promotion of Work Experience and Research (PoWER),a student body of the IIT-K under the Dean of Research and Development,will execute the project along with the IIA. At present,PoWER has 60 members,most of whom are engineering and management students. Gaurav Dixit,student and coordinator for Utthan-Ek Pehel,said that they have been working on the project for the last four months.

“It is a sincere effort on part of the students to help increase the productivity and quality of existing industries,” said Professor A K Mittal,IIT-K Industrial and Management Engineering.

He added that members of PoWER themselves had approached the IIA and requested their support for the project.

The activities of PoWER are not included in the academics — it is a voluntary mission taken up by students. The Micro,Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute,National Productivity Council and Kanpur Productivity Council will also provide their support to the cause.

Divisional Chairman of IIA,Sunil Vaishya,said: “Some of the finest experiments and research are being conducted at the IIT-K. It is a privilege for industrialists that students from IIT-K have approached us. While industrialists can benefit from updated technology,the students will gain experience and exposure.”