PULSE MILLING INDUSTRY

Pulse milling industry is a major milling industry in India, next only to rice and flour milling. It has been known that of the 14 million tonnes of pulses produced, 75% is processed in about 10,000 dal mills scattered all over the country. Pulses are passed through several stages of precleaning, dehusking, grading, aspirating, splitting and polishing. Various methods are practised in the country to mill pulses at home cottage or small scale level. Ministry has sponsored a study through the National Productivity Council (NPC) to ascertain the problems and prospects of the industry and also suggest ways and means for the modernisation of the industry for maximum output. Three cases of 100% EOU were approved for processing of imported pulses and its export to hard currency areas with an investment of Rs.467 lakhs. These units will provide employment to about 150 persons.

MODERNISATION OF RICE MILLS

The Modernisation of rice milling industry in the country was taken up in 1970 with a view to obtain the higher yields of rice and better quality of by-products such as bran and husk suitable for edible oil/industrial oil extraction and as a source of fuel respectively. The process was initiated by amending the Rice Milling Industry (Regulation) Act 1958 and Rice Milling Industry (Regulation & Licensing) Rules, 1959. In the initial phase of modernisation, shellers-cum-hullers and multiple hullers were brought under the purview of modernisation. However, keeping in view the various problems involved in the modernisation of single huller mills, the units existing on 27.7.1984 have been exempted from modernisation. This relaxation is not available to new single huller mills set up after the date, except to certain categories enumerated under the Act and the rules made thereunder. A huller subsidy scheme to encourage modernisation of huller mills is being implemented in six States, viz. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. In order to accelerate the pace of modernisation, a Central sector huller subsidy scheme was also initiated in the States of U.P., Orissa and Karnataka. The progress of modernisation of rice mills is being reviewed periodically through the reports received from the State Governments and wherever any constraints are being noticed, these are being looked into by the Ministry. In view of the sustained efforts made by the Government, the number of modern/modernised rice mills has gone up from practically nil in 1970 to 32969 in 1993 (Table-1). Also, the quantity of rice bran processed for oil extraction has increased from 1.87 lakh tonnes in 1970-71 to 28.09 lakh tonnes in 1992-93.
R&D, EXTENSION & TRAINING

Apart from legislative measures, the Government has been sponsoring various research and development activities through its two research centres, namely, Post Harvest Technology Centre in the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (W. Bengal) and Paddy Processing Research

Centre, Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu). In addition, extension and training work on rice mill modernisation is undertaken through a network of ten Regional Extension Service Centres established in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (two centres), West Bengal and Gujarat.

GRANTS IN AID

Grants in aid are being provided to various institutions in connection with the activities of modernisation of rice mills. The aid is intended mainly to promote research and development, extension and training work on modernisation of rice milling industry and better by-product utilisation. The organisations which have received grants during the year and the activities undertaken by them are briefly indicated in the following paragraphs. The basic research work on different applied aspects of rice processing and by-product utilisation like drying, storage, parboiling, milling, bran stabilisation, oil extraction etc. is being carried out at the Paddy Processing Research Centre, Thanjavur. Currently, the following projects are being handled at the Centre: (a) Development of new techniques for milling of rice; (b) Modernisation of yard drying system and appliances.

The Centre was formed as a registered society in December, 1984 and was shifted to its new building at Thanjavur in December 1987 and is continuing its research and development work. A grant of Rs.40.00 lakhs has been released to the Paddy Processing Research Centre, Thanjavur. The Post Harvest Technology Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur provides training facilities for engineers, technicians, operators etc. in the post-harvest processing of rice and other cereal grains. It conducts M.Tech., Ph.D. and Post Doctoral courses in Post Harvest Technology, and short term courses in rice-milling. Special courses under the Colombo Plan and Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan (SCAAP) are also organised for foreign nationals. At present 11 M.Tech and 15 Ph.D. students and 1 Research Associate are undergoing courses at the Centre. Besides teaching activities, the Centre is also engaged in research and development work on the engineering aspects of rice processing and by-product utilisation etc. During 1992-93, R&D projects relating to (a) solar assisted basic dessicant cooling system in storage of food crops in coastal region; and (b) controlled and modified storage for fruits and vegetables for enhancement of their shelf life, have also been undertaken. A grant of Rs.40.00 lakhs has been sanctioned to the Centre Ten Regional Extension Service Centres have been set up so far in different paddy growing States under the Agriculture Universities/Research Institutions etc. to propagate the advantages of rice mill modernisation and better by-product utilisation through seminars, demonstration programmes, short-duration training courses, technical guidance, publicity through films, leaflets etc. These Centres are financed by the Ministry for an initial period of five to eight years after which they are handed over to the host organisation. These ten centres have been set up in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (two centres), West Bengal and Gujarat. The Centres at Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (two), West Bengal, Karnataka and Maharashtra have been handed over to the respective host organisations after the completion of the eight year period. For further continuance of their activities the Centres at OUAT, Bhubaneshwar, INKUV and Jabalpur will be handed over at the end of this financial year. A grant of Rs.12.00 lakhs has been released to the Centres during 1992, A scheme on "modernisation of single hullers" is being implemented in seven States, viz. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, W. Bengal and Karnataka to encourage huller modernisation. Under this scheme huller-owners will be provided a subsidy of Rs.10,000/- each for the modernisation of their units. So far 843 hullers have been modernised in these States. The target for modernised units has been reduced because of increase in the subsidy per beneficiary. In order to reinforce the efforts of the old scheme, a Central sector huller subsidy scheme has been launched, and under this, a sum of Rs.10,000/- (app. 50% cost of modernisation) is being provided as subsidy/assistance to each beneficiary. In order to encourage production of quality rice milling and allied machinery in the country, four testing centres have been set up in the southern, eastern, northern and western regions of the

country. These are located at Coimbatore, Kharagpur, Kanpur and Pune respectively. These centres undertake testing of rice milling machinery according to the standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards, suggest improvements in existing machinery, offer technical guidance to manufacturers and millers, provide training facilities in selection, operation and maintenance of machinery etc. A grant of Rs.20.00 lakhs has been sanctioned to the centres during 1992. Conversion of three existing units and setting up of three new units in Rice Milling sector were approved during the year under 100% EOU scheme for export of Basmati & broken basmati rice with a total investment of Rs.3680 lakhs and providing employment to approx. 645 persons.