[Assam] Farmers go ga-ga over IIT’s ‘capacity’ bicycle (The Assam Tribune, 26.12.2006)

[Buljit Buragohain]

Guwahati, Tuesday, December 26, 2006 
CITY  
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    Farmers go ga-ga over IIT’s ‘capacity’ bicycle
By A City Correspondent
 GUWAHATI, Dec 25 – How many ‘thoks’ (bunches) of bananas can be loaded on a conventional two wheeled bicycle? It is not less than eight thoks to be precise.

But can it be imagined that a bicycle can have the carrying capacity of around 14 thoks of bananas? This impossibility has been made possible by IIT, Guwahati. Its Rural Technology Action Group has devised a bicycle that not only has the carrying capacity of 14 thoks of bananas, but it can be pedalled away merrily by the farmers.

To be improvised soon with a device that lessens the amount of energy needed for cycling, farmers can no doubt sing all the way to the market.

“ Farmers were telling us that their production quality as well as quantity was affected due to lack of transportation facilities. So we came up with this capacity bicycle,” said Dr S.K Kakoty, Associate Professor at IIT, Guwahati.

With the objective to uplift rural technology of North East through intervention of science and technology, the mission was launched in April 2006.

The Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) is also working on making endi reeling semi mechanized.

“ Once we have put the technology in place, the processing time of endi reeling will be shortened and it will also increase the earnings of rural folks,” said Dr Kakoty, adding they have recently taken up a study on the rural household economy in the region.

The study is aimed at improving the rural economy, and eminent economists have been roped in by RuTAG to help them in the project.


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