 "Ananth Kumar at CIPET's awards function for innovation in plastics")
There is need to harness talent and encourage research in the plastic processing industry to develop innovative products and find ways to recycle plastic waste, according to Ananth Kumar, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
While presented the sixth national awards for technology in innovation in petrochemicals and downstream plastics processing industry in New Delhi on December 20, 2016, the minister said, “There is so much talent in the country in the sector, and there is need to harness, map and support them so that there are more innovations, and research and development activities. The country needs more value addition of the refinery output so that the polymer industry grows up fast, and creates new products and does import substitution.”
Ananth Kumar stressed on the need of launching awareness campaign about the benefits and range of polymer products, and also of recycling and reusing them. He said that the Government will provide the full support to the petrochemical industry and a lot of work has been done on reverse SEZs with a few countries.
To give boost to research activity and meet the huge requirement of skilled manpower in the petrochemical sector, the government has decided to set up 100 centres of CIPET (Central Institutes for Plastic Engineering and Technology).
Post formation of policy on petrochemicals in April 2007, an award scheme, implemented by CIPET, was set up to incentivise meritorious innovation and inventions in the field of polymeric materials, products, processes and other areas of national and social importance. The awards are given for outstanding contribution to R&D, leading to less energy consumption, better plastic waste management, increase in product life cycle, development of innovative new products, quality standards, recycling and other emerging areas.
This year’s national awards, 264 nominations were received, 17 of which have been selected as winners and 14 as runners up for 2015-16.
