If all goes as planned by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the prototype of India’s first indigenously developed 70-seater aircraft will be ready in five or six years, with one of its labs in Bengaluru — the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) — launching the ‘Aircraft Mission’ soon.
NAL has developed Saras, a 19-seater light transport aircraft, and its test flights are on. This multi-purpose civilian aircraft, designed with indigenous technology, is expected to be commissioned in the next three years.
Disclosing this to reporters on the sidelines of 7th Bioprocessing India Conference at CSIR-CFTRI here on Saturday, CSIR director-general Shekhar C. Mande said the budget for the design and development of A 70-seater turbojet engine civilian aircraft has been allocated and engineers would start working on it on a mission scale. “We hope to develop the aircraft in about six years as a lot of research and work will be needed for the design of a prototype,” he said.
Dr. Mande said the development of a 70-seater aircraft could change the aviation scenario as many cities with shorter runways such as Mysuru could operate these flights and be connected by air.
Precision agriculture
CSIR is also in talks with the Government of Karnataka for the launch of precision agriculture for the benefit of farmers. Dr. Mande, who is also the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, GoI, said the project would be implemented as a pilot with the support of Infosys, IIT Dharwad, International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru, and other institutions. With the aim of minimising losses incurred by farmers, the project will look to help them improve farm productivity through various interventions, including the use of artificial intelligence.
On wastage of food, Dr. Mande said CSIR has successfully implemented a model under which pineapples grown in Meghalaya, which were largely going to waste, are now being processed locally for juice and fruit preserves. Processing units are being set up in every district of Meghalaya with the help of entrepreneurs.
CFTRI is taking the lead in adding value to farm produce through technology intervention, and such efforts will soon be carried out in other States, including Karnataka, he added.
Speaking of another experiment, Dr. Mande said a CSIR lab has developed technology in which potash and organics can be extracted from the spent wash (residual liquid waste) of distilleries and water is used for irrigation. This model has been developed to minimise pollution. The technology was developed in Ahmedabad and trials were conducted in Sholapur. India imports potash, and at least ₹700 crore can be saved if distilleries adopt this technology across the country, he said. “We want to implement this intervention on a cooperative model.”
