MGIRI SOLAR CHARKHA A BOON TO KHADI PRODUCTION

Prof. R.B.CHAVAN

FORMER PROFESSOR, IIT DELHI

CONSULTANT

MGIRI, WARDHA

E-MAIL rbchavan@hotmail.com

STEPS INVOLVED IN KHADI MANUFACTURE

STEP 1COTTON WITH SEEDS

REMOVAL OF SEEDS (GINNING)

CONVERTING THE GINNED COTTON IN THE FORM OF

COMPRESSED BALES (170 KG.)

TRANSPORTING THE BALES TO TEXTILE MILLS.

ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY NON-KHADI INSTITUTION AT GINNING UNITS

COTTON WITHOUT SEEDS

ALL OPERATIONS MECHANICAL

• OPENING OF THE BALES

• OPENING OF COTTON

• CONVERSION OF OPENED COTTON INTO LAP

• CARDING (CARDED SLIVER)

• DRAWING (DRAWN SLIVER)

• CONVERSION OF SLIVER INTO ROVING

STEP 2

PRE-SPINNING OPERATIONS

OPERATIONS CARRIED OUT AT CENTRAL SLIVER PLANTS OF KVIC

CENTRAL SLIVER PLANTS OF KVIC

1. SEHORE (MADHYA PRADESH)

2. RAIBARELLEY (UTTAR PRADESH)

3. ETAH (UTTAR PRADESH)

4. CHITRADURG (KARNATAKA)

5. TRICHUR (KERALA)

6. HAZIPUR (BIHAR)

IN PLANNIG

7. CHAUDAR (ORISSA)

EQUIPMENTS AND OPERATIONS LIKE IN TEXTILE MILL

ALL OPERATION MECHANICAL

STEP 3

SPINNING

• MANUAL SPINNING (CHARKHA)

• ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CHARKHA

• SOLAR ENERGY OPERATED CHARKHA

• MECHANICAL SPINNING (USE OF

ELECTRICITY) PRACTICED IN

TEXTILE MILLS.

STEP 4WEAVING

Manual Weaving (Handloom weaving)

Mechanical weaving (Powerloom weaving)

STEP 5CHEMICAL PROCESSING

Desizing, scouring, bleaching

Mercerization (Only in case of

cotton)

Dyeing

Printing

Finishing

Checking for faults

Packing

Transport to dealers

Transport to retail shops

Selling to consumers

IN CASE OF KHADI

MARKETING THROUGH

KHADI BHANDARS OF

KHADI INSIUTIONS AND

KVIC

Conversion of finished fabric into garmentsORConversion into useful items like bedsheet, table cloth,curtain etc. Packing Transport to dealersTransport to retail shopsSelling to consumers

IN CASE OF KHADI

MARKETING THROUGH

KHADI BHANDARS OF

KHADI INSIUTIONS AND

KVIC

STEP 6

WORKING OF KHADI INSTIUTIONS

PURCHASE GINNED COTTON IN THE BALE FORM

CENTRAL SLIVER PLANTS

CONVERSION OF COTTON INTO SLIVER (COARSE YARN)

ROVING (FINE YARN)

KHADI INSTIUTION

ROVING FROM CSP

DISTRIBUTION OF ROVING TO SPINNER

MANUAL SPINNING SPINNING ONNMC CHARKHA IN SHED

OR

SPINNING FROM INDIVIDUAL HOMES

YARN IN HANK FORM TO KHADI INSTITUTIONS

WORKING OF KHADI INSTIUTIONS

KHADI INSTITUION

DISTRIBUTION OF YARN TO WEAVERS

WEAVING ON HANDLOOM

IN SHED OR

INDIVIDUAL HOMES

GREY FABRIC TO KHADI INSTITUTION

CHEMICAL PROCESSING AT

KHADI ISNTIUTIONS OR

COMMERCIAL PROCESSORS

CHEMICALLY PROCESSED FABRIC AT KHADI INSTIUTIONS

MARKETING THROUGH KHADI BAHANDARS OF KHADI ISNTITUIONS AND KVIC

MAJOR PROBLEMS FACED BY KHADI INSTIUTIONS IN MANUAL SPINNING

MANUAL SPINNING Manual spinning is laborious

Low production

The operation can be performed from house to house,

however, the wages are very poor (Rs.30-40 per day)

Other avenues are available providing higher wages for less

labour

Attraction towards manual spinning is reducing therefore

there is decrease in employment generation in manual

spinning activity

OPERATION OF CHARKHA BY USING ELECTRICITY THIS IS THE SIMPLEST OPTION FOR THE ELIMINATION OF MANUAL LABOUR, HOWEVER, THERE ARE TWO ISSUES

1. MOST OF THE CHARKHA SPINNING ACTIVITY IS IN VILLAGES, THE AVAILABILITY OF ELECTRICITY IN RURAL INDIA IS INADEQUATE

2. THE YARN PRODUCED BY USING ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CHARKHA DOES NOT MEET THE DEFINITION OF KHADI

FOR THE ABOVE TWO REASONS THE OPTION OF ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CHARKHA IS NOT EXPLORED SERIOUSLY.

ALTERNATE OPTIONS TO MANUAL SPINNING

AMONG THE ABOVE TWO ISSUES, THE ISSUE OF AVAILABILITY OF ELECTRICITY IN RURAL INDIA CAN BE SOLVED BY USING ALTERNATE SOURCE OF ENERGY WHICH CAN BE CONVERTED INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

NO OTHER SOURCE COULD BE BETTER THAN SOLAR ENERGY FOR THIS PURPOSE.

FORTUNATELY, THIS SOURCE OF ENERGY IS ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE BOTH IN RURAL AS WELL AS URBAN INDIA EXCEPT FEW HILLY REGIONS.

THE KHADI GROUP AT MGIRI WARDHA WITH PAINSTAKING EFFORTS HAS DEVELOPED A CHARKHA WHICH CAN BE OPERATED BY USING SOLAR ENERGY. THIS CHARKHA IS KNOWN AS MGIRI SOLAR CHARKHA.

MGIRI SOLAR CHARKHA

In this system the conventionally available NMC solar charkha of 2, 6, 8 and 10 spindles can be used.

What is required is a attachment of solar system by means of which the charkha can be operated by means of solar energy.

The diagrammatic and pictorial depiction of the system is shown below

SOLAR SYSTEM SCHEMATIC VIEW

SOLAR PANEL

SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER

BATTERY

CHARKHA

MOTOR

SOLAR SYSTEM PICTORIAL SCHEME

MGIRI SOLAR CHARKHA

SOLAR SYSTEM FOR CHARKHA

THE SOLAR SYSTEM WHICH COULD BE ATTACHED TO CONVENTIONAL NMC CHARKHA CONSISTS OF

• SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL FOR CONVERSION OF SOLAR ENERGY TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

• SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER TO PREVENT THE OVERCHARGE OF BATTERY

• BATTERY FOR THE STORAGE OF SOLAR ELECTRICAL ENERGY

• MOTOR FOR THE OPERATION OF CHARKHA ON SOLAR ENERGY CONVERTED INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

FEATURES OF MGIRI SOLAR CHARKHA

• 2, 6, 8, 10 spindle NMC charkha can be converted into solar charkha by the attachment of solar system developed by MGIRI.

• The solar charkha can be operated directly using solar panels, however, due to fluctuations in solar energy during the day there is variation in the charkha speed.

• In order to run the charkha at constant speed it is therefore essential to store the solar electrical energy into storage battery. The advantage of such a battery is that the charkha can be operated even in the absence of solar energy for the period depending on the storage capacity of the battery.

• The solar charge controller is essential to prevent the overcharging of battery, increasing the life of the battery.

ADVANTAGES OF MGIRI SOLAR CHARKHA

FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES CAN BE DERIVED IF THE MANUAL CHARKHA IS CONVERTED TO SOLAR CHARKHA

• THE HARDSHIP/DRUDGERY INVOLVED IN THE MANUAL OPERATION OF CHARKHA WILL BE TOTALLY ELIMINATED.

• ONE OPERATOR CAN SUPERVISE THE OPERATION OF MINIMUM OF 3-5 CHARKHAS AT A TIME THUS INCREASING HIS/HER WAGE EARNING THROUGH INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY.

• THE YARN QUALITY WILL BE IMPROVED BECAUSE OF CONSTANT SPEED OF ROTATION, WHICH IS NOT POSSIBLE IN MANUAL OPERATION

• THE PRODUCTIVITY WILL BE IMPROVED THUS GIVING HIGHER WAGES TO THE OPERATOR.

EVEN PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS CAN TAKE TO SPINNING ACTIVITY.

FORTUNATELY THE SOLAR ENERGY IS ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE IN OUR COUNTRY, THE DEPENDENCE ON ELECTRICITY WILL BE TOTALLY ELIMINATED.ONE CAN ALSO EXTEND THE TECHNOLOGY OF PROVIDING SOLAR LIGHTS AND FANS IN RURAL AREAS.

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE ADOPTION OF MGIRI SOLAR CARHKHA BY KVIC

• THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE SOLAR ENERGY OPERATED CHARKHA WILL BRING A REVOLUTION IN THE KHADI SECTOR.

• THIS WILL ALSO BRING IN LOT OF DEBATE TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF KHADI FOR WHICH A POLICY DECISION WILL BE ESSENTIAL.

• THE TECHNOLOGY WILL PROVIDE A POWERFUL TOOL FOR THE TOTAL ELIMINATION OF THE DRUDGERY OF THE SPINNER. A SERIOUS CONCERN TOWARDS THIS ASPECT WAS EXPRESSED IN EVERY FORUM BY ALL THOSE WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH KHADI ACTIVITIES.

• ADAPTATION OF ELECTRICALLY OPERATED MOTORIZED CHARKHA WAS NOT CONSIDERED AS A SOLUTION TO ELIMINATE DRUDGERY BECAUSE THE SORRY STATE OF AFFAIR OF THE AVAILABILITY OF ELECTRICITY IN REMOTE VILLAGES. SOLAR ENERGY PROVIDES THE MOST APPROPRIATE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

• IT IS WORTH MENTIONING HERE THAT THE OPERATIONS LIKE PRE-SPINNING (CENTRAL SLIVER PLANT OPERATIONS), PRE-WEAVING OPERATIONS LIKE TWISTING, CONE WINDING ETC AND CHEMICAL PROCESSING OPERATIONS ARE CARRIED OUT USING ELECTRICAL ENERGY. IN FACT PHILOSOPHICALLY IN THE TRUE DEFINITION OF KHADI, ALL THE OPERATIONS SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT MANUALLY, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE IN THE PRESENT KHADI DEFINITION

• GANDHIJI NEVER OBJECTED TO THE INTRODUCTION NEW TECHNOLOGY IN THE KHADI SECTOR.

• ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PRIZE OF RS 1 LAKH WAY BACK IN 1930S FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED CHARKHA IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE IMPORTANCE GIVEN BY GANDHIJI FOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS.

• HIS MAIN OBJECTION WAS THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WHICH IS THOUGHT OF SHOULD NOT REPLACE THE HUMAN BEING.

• THE TECHNOLOGY OF SOLAR CHARKHA MEETS THIS REQUIREMENT AS THE SPINNERS WILL STILL BE NEEDED TO SUPERVISE THE BROKEN YARN AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CHARKHA.

• WITH THE INCREASED PRODUCTION OF YARN ON SOLAR CHARKHA THE NUMBER OF LOOMS WILL INCREASE CREATING ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT FOR WEAVERS.

•THOUGH ONE SPINNER WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AFTER 3-5 CHARKHA AS AGAINST ONE SPINNER FOR EACH CHARKHA AS THE PRESENT CASE, IT IS STRONGLY BELIEVED THAT BECAUSE OF THE REMOVAL OF DRUDGERY COMPONENT AND GUARANTEE PROVIDING BETTER WAGE, MANY VILLAGE LADIES WILL BE ATTRACTED TOWARDS THE SOLAR ENERGY OPERATED SPINNING AND THUS INSTEAD OF DECREASING THE NUMBER OF SPINNERS THERE WILL BE INCREASE IN THEIR NUMBER. THUS GENERATING MORE EMPLOYMENT WITH RESPECTABLE WAGE EARNING WITHOUT DRUDGERY.

• THE TECHNOLOGY ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO

PROVIDE LIGHTING, FAN AND RADIO OPERATING SYSTEM WITH THE USE OF SOLAR PANEL. THUS THE TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BUT WILL ALSO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL AREAS. THE RURAL POPULATION HAS BEEN DEPRIVED OF SUCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGES.

• LASTLY, SOLAR ENERGY IS A NATURAL ENERGY. IT IS ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY. INDIA IS BLESSED WITH THE ABUNDANCE OF THIS ENERGY.

• HARNESSING SUCH ENERGY IN ECO-FRIENDLY WAY FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOCIETY WILL BE ONE OF THE GREATEST SERVICES RENDERED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION.

TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION

S.No.

Date Venue Event

1. 28.8.08 MGIRI, Wardha Visit of Hon. Chairperson

2. 2.10.08 KVIC, Mumbai Khadi Fest

3. 17.11.08 Gramshilp, Adilabad

Karigar Mela

4. 2-5 Jan.09

National Inst. of Rural Development, Hyderabad

Gramodyog Mela

5. 10-16 Jan.09

Magan Sangrahalaya,Wardha

Khadi Mela

ACCEPTABILITY OF THIS TECHNOLOGY WHICH WILL HAVE FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS I LEAVE TO THE

WISDOM OF THE AUDIENCE, THE KVIC AUTHORITY AND KHADI SECTOR FOR WHOM THE TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED