India has potential to become global petrochemicals hub: Sadananda Gowda

The scheme has not only boosted the morale of passionate researchers but has also encouraged the young minds to pursue research as a career option, he said.

Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri D V Sadananda Gowda, presented the 10th National Awards for Technology Innovation in Petrochemicals & Downstream Plastics Processing Industry to the Awardees at a function held today at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Shri Yogendra Tripathi, Secretary (C&PC) also graced the occasion. Apart from the awardees, Senior Government officials, representatives of industries, academia and R&D institutions were present on the occasion.

In line with the National Policy on Petrochemicals announced in April 2007, the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals (DCPC), Government of India has set up an Award Scheme to incentivize meritorious innovations and inventions in the field of polymeric materials, products, process areas of national and social importance. The ultimate objective is to develop and maintain the petrochemical industry as a globally competitive industry using eco-friendly processes & technologies. Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET), an autonomous organization under DCPC has been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the scheme of the National Awards for Technology Innovation.

Speaking on the occasion the Union Minister said that India has the potential to become a global petrochemicals hub. He said that the thrust of the Government of India to promote key end-use sectors, through PLI schemes under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, such as pharmaceuticals, telecommunication & networking equipment, automobiles, electronics, mobiles, medical devices, textiles etc. will drive the demand for chemicals and petrochemicals in the country further.

Shri Gowda said that the Chemicals & Petrochemicals sector could emerge as a leading sector in fulfilling the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in reaching a $ 5 trillion economies at the earliest. He informed that the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals has been taking several facilitation measures to attract investment in the sector such as supporting the setting up of six plastic parks in the coordination of State Governments in Assam, Madhya Pradesh (two parks), Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand. This will allow the downstream plastic processing industry, most of which are in the MSME sector, to emerge stronger, and competitive enough to become part of the global value chain in future.

Shri Gowda highlighted that to achieve the Prime Minister’s Vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in the Petrochemical sector, the Ministry is implementing the National Awards, the Centre of Excellence & Plastic Parks schemes & encouraging the Indian Innovators & Research organisations. Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) has been successfully implementing the scheme over these years. The scheme has not only boosted the morale of passionate researchers but has also encouraged the young minds to pursue research as a career option, he said.

In the current edition of the 10th National Awards, 273 nominations have been received, and finally, 04 nominations have been selected as Winners and 09 nominations as Runners-up for 2019-20.

The details of Winners are as given below:

Dr Samir H. Chikkali and Shri Ravindra P. Gote Dr Dipa Mandal, Dr Ketan Patel Shri Krishnaroop Chaudhuri, Dr C. P. Vinod, Dr Ashish K. Lele - CSIR- National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, for “Preparation and scale-up of Disentangled Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene: A material 11 times stronger than steel.” under the category of “Innovation in Polymeric Materials”.

Dr Smita Mohanty and Dr Akshya Kumar Palai, Shri Sagar Kumar Nayak, Shri Smruti Ranjan Mohanty, CIPET:

SARP, LARPM, Bhubaneswar for “Indigenous development of polymer - ceramic-based porous bed for separation of mixed ion-exchange resins” under the category of “Innovation in Polymeric Products”.

M/s Shibaura Machine India Private Limited, Chennai, for “Multi Colour / Material Injection Moulding Machine for Anti-Counterfeit article production” under the category of “Innovation in Polymer Processing Machinery, Equipment, Robotics & Automation”

4) Dr LIZYMOL PHILIPOSE PAMPADYKANDATHIL, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, for “Development of bio-active, radiopaque, non-cytotoxic, bone cement based on a novel in-situ polymerizable oligomer for orthopaedic applications” under the category of “Polymers in Medical and Pharmaceutical Applications”

The details of the Runners-up are as given below:

Dr K.V. Govindarajan and Shri K. Premchand, Smt. Tanu Srivastava, BrahMos Aerospace Ltd, Hyderabad, for “Fluorinated top coat along with heat resistant primers developed for Indian Supersonic Missiles and Hypersonic Vehicles” under the category of “Innovation in Polymeric Materials”.2)Dr. Dibyendu Sekhar Bag and Dr Gobardhan Lal, Shri Rajkumar, Dr DurgeshnathTripathi, Dr N. Eswara Prasad, Defence Materials and Stores Research andDevelopment Establishment (DMSRDE), DRDO, Kanpur for “Product Development, Up-gradation  of Manufacturing Process Technology,   Certification  and  Free Flow    Bulk    Production  of  ‘PEEK’ LIGHTNING INSULATOR PIPES FOR LIGHT COMBAT AIRCRAFT (LCA-MK-1, TEJAS).” Under the category of “Innovation in Polymeric Products”

3) M/s Milacron India Private Limited, Ahmedabad for “Q-Series 280 Mono sandwich Machine” under the category of “Innovation in Polymer Processing Machinery, Equipment, Robotics & Automation”

4) Dr N. R. Kaminiand Dr N. Ayyadurai Dr M. Aarthy, Shri George S. Antony CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, for “Biodegradation of polymeric materials by non-conventional yeast” under the “Innovation in Polymer Waste Management”

5)M/s Balasore Chemicals, Balasore, and Dr Smita Mohanty, CIPET: SARP – LARPM, Bhubaneswar, for “Green non-toxic calcium zinc heat stabilizer as a replacement for toxic Lead based stabilizer for Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and eco-friendly preparation method thereof:” under the category of “Innovation in Green Polymeric Materials & Products”

6) M/s Ray Colors, Anand for “ALGRONIX-The Anti-Algae Masterbatch for GreenhouseFilms” under the category of “Polymers in Agriculture and Water Conservation”

7) Dr S. Sridhar and Dr Nivedita Sahu, Shri Dileep Kumar Fothedar, Shri BadhrachalamNarkuti, Smt. Bhoga Arundhathi, CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad for “Indigenous and Inexpensive Polymer Membrane-Resin Integrated Device for Production of Type-I And Type-II Ultrapure Water For Pharmaceutical, Distillery, Medical And Semiconductor Applications” under the category of “Polymers in Medical and Pharmaceutical Applications”

8) M/s Reliance Industries Limited, Vadodara for “Development of chlorinated polyvinylchloride (CPVC) with superior mechanical and thermal properties produced by visible blue LED light-mediated photochlorination in the water ”under the category of “Innovation in Petrochemicals and Newer Polymers Applications”.

9) Dr Akansha Dixit, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), DRDO, Kanpur for “Development of Self-healing Acrylates and Hydrogels for Smart Applications” under the category of “Research in the field of Polymer Science & Technology (for Research Students of Academic Institute / Research lab)”

(With Inputs from PIB)