Inauguration of Uttarakhand’s First RuTAGe Smart Village Centre (RSVC) in Almora  

• IIT Roorkee inaugurates the first RuTAGe Smart Village Centre (RSVC) in Khoont Village, Almora, to enhance rural technology deployment and local entrepreneurship.
• The RSVC centres will be managed by village-level entrepreneurs, providing employment opportunities, and functioning on a sustainable revenue model supported by services, products, and voluntary contributions.

Almora  – The inauguration of Uttarakhand’s first RuTAG Smart Village Centre (RSVC) at Khoont Village with Shri Ajay Tamta, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, as the Chief Guest, Almora marks a significant milestone in the national effort to establish similar centres across rural India, with IIT Roorkee serving as the national nodal hub for technology deployment. Launched in collaboration with Nehir Himalayan Sansthan on the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Shri Govind Ballabh Pant, a visionary leader of India’s independence movement and rural development advocate, the RSVC promises to transform rural communities by improving access to technology, supporting local manufacturing, and boosting entrepreneurship development.

The RuTAGe Smart Village Centre (RSVC) model, conceptualized by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA), Government of India, and led by IIT Roorkee, was honoured with the first prize at the NSE’s Social Stock Exchange event in Varanasi on August 31, 2024.

Dr. Sapna Poti, Director, Strategic Alliances, Office of PSA along with Cmde. Shridhar Kotra, Project Incharge, AARTI Foundation, IIT Roorkee introduced the RSVC concept, outlining its role in enhancing technology access for rural communities, which currently stands at just 1-2% according to recent reports. They emphasized the centre’s sustainable model, operated by local entrepreneurs, expected to revolutionize rural technology deployment, improve market access,      and ensure quality control.
“The RSVC model operates on a ‘Hub and Spoke’ structure, with the hub at IIT Roorkee and spokes established in rural areas like Khoont. The centres are designed to conduct baseline studies, provide feedback, and deploy technologies through demonstrations in local languages. These centres will be managed by local entrepreneurs and follow a sustainable revenue model, ensuring long-term growth and community development,” he stated.

Key Technologies at RSVC

1. Variable Speed Solar Based Bageshwari Wool Charkha: The traditional hand-operated spinning wheel faces limitations such as non-uniform bobbin filling, inconsistent yarn thickness, and labour intensity. To address these issues, the Bageshwari Charkha has been upgraded to dual operation modes—foot-powered and electric—incorporating features like an electrical motor, battery, solar panel, USB socket, a modified flyer, and a crank for bobbin lateral motion. The latest enhancement includes a variable-speed spindle for producing various yarn counts. These upgrades enable efficient spinning of local wool, Tibetan, Tibetan-56, and Merino wool, making it suitable for local spinners, artisans, and handloom workers while promoting the use of local wool for weaving.
2. Air Cooled Based Vegetable Vending Machine: Vegetable hawkers often use open carts to transport fruits and vegetables from wholesale markets to residential areas, exposing them to unhygienic conditions and harsh weather, which leads to rapid spoilage and significant losses. The solution involves retrofitting cool, closed-shelf vending cart structures equipped with low-power cooling components and moisture control mechanisms. These retrofits can be added to existing pull or push carts and are designed to be inexpensive, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly. The benefits include preserving produce for 3-4 days, preventing deterioration, and maintaining hygiene. This innovation is ideal for fruit, vegetable, and fast-food vendors and can be locally manufactured with minimal training.
3. Pico-Hydro (Water Mill) Based Cold Storage: Fruits and vegetables from hilly areas often suffer from poor prices due to insufficient marketing, storage, and processing facilities, compounded by a lack of affordable energy for storage and processing. The solution is an integrated Pico hydropower system (5 kW modified watermill/Gharat) that powers a 1.5-ton capacity cold storage unit. This system consumes 1.5-2.0 kW of hydropower while surplus power can be used locally for lighting, milling, and irrigation. The benefits include effective preservation of produce, utilization of surplus power for local needs, and improved opportunities for farmers. The Pico hydropower system has significant potential in hilly regions to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables and support local agriculture.
4. Mechanised Roller (Felt Making Machine): The decline in traditional hand-made felt production, due to the demanding manual process driving artisans away, has been addressed with a new hand-propelled, women-friendly felting device. This innovation allows people to produce felt using local wool, reduces physical strain, and ensures the resulting fabric is strong, as confirmed by testing reports.

Prof. Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, Prof. Durgesh Pant, Director General of UCOST, Mr. Pradeep Kumar, Director of the Directorate of Sericulture, Uttarakhand, and Prof. K.K. Pant, Director of IIT Roorkee, conveyed their support and appreciation via video messages.

The ceremony paid homage to Shri Pant’s legacy of rural empowerment. During the ceremony Shri Ajay Tamta, Minister of State Road Transport and Highways said “Today, as we inaugurate the first RSVC in Khoont, Almora, we pay homage to Bharat Ratna Shri G.B. Pant, a pioneer of rural development and an advocate for empowering rural communities. His legacy continues to inspire initiatives like this, which aim to bring technological solutions to the rural landscape of Uttarakhand.”

Prof. Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India applauded the efforts of his office and IIT Roorkee in bringing technological innovation to rural Uttarakhand: “The RuTAGe Smart Village Centre in Khoont, Almora will not only bring cutting-edge technologies to rural Uttarakhand but will also create employment opportunities, enhance productivity, and improve the quality of life in the region. We are committed to supporting such initiatives that promote sustainable development and entrepreneurship in the country. I wish the RuTAGe smart village centre model ably led by IIT Roorkee’s director Prof. Pant a great success” he said.

Prof. K.K. Pant, Director of IIT Roorkee, expressed his views on the significance of rural innovation in transforming the economy: “At IIT Roorkee, we believe that technological innovation should transcend urban boundaries and reach even the most remote corners of our country. In alignment with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat and a Viksit Bharat, the RSVC will act as a pivotal hub for empowering rural entrepreneurs, enabling them to leverage advanced technologies to address local challenges. Our RuTAGe Smart Village Centres aim to bring cutting-edge technologies developed by our premier institutions, including various IITs, directly to rural areas. By providing modern solutions and creating opportunities for economic development—whether in agriculture, clean drinking water, or sustainable energy—RSVCs will be the driving force behind this transformative journey, contributing to the development of villages as essential components of a Viksit Bharat.”

Shri Manoj Tiwari, MLA, Almora said “Leveraging IIT Roorkee’s expertise and the collaborative efforts of Nehir Himalayan Sansthan with various stakeholders, this initiative represents a transformative model for empowering rural communities by bridging the technology gap in remote areas.”

Recently, IIT Roorkee transferred three key rural technologies to Manhari Corporation for manufacturing and subsequent deployment through RSVCs. The Khoont Village RSVC exemplifies the power of synergistic partnerships in driving rural progress, fostering self-reliance, and contributing to a more inclusive and resilient economy. As the first of many planned RSVCs across India, its success will serve as a guiding beacon for future initiatives, paving the way for widespread rural advancement and sustainable development.

The event saw participation from rural entrepreneurs, innovators, youth leaders, local NGOs and key stakeholders from the local community. The inauguration was attended by distinguished guests  Shri R D Joshi, Director, Nehir Himalayan Sansthan, Prof. S k Singhal, IIT Roorkee, Prof. Akshay Dvivedi, Dean Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy, IIT Roorkee, Dr.  Harindra Garg, Chairman, Manhari Corporation, Smt. Meera Bora, General Manager, District Industries Center, Almora Uttarakhand, Dr. Neeraj Pant, Dr. Ravi Saini, Mr. Vishal Tiwari, Ms. Shinjinee Mishra, Ms. Chava Jahnavi, Mr. Navjot Singh, Mr. Imtiaz & Sandeep Kumawat.