The Hindu : Study suggests action plan for CIPET

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 21, 2002

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Study suggests action plan for CIPET

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI NOV. 20. The Chennai-headquartered Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) will study the funding requirement for implementing a ten-year action plan (upto 2012) suggested by an independent evaluation body that appraised its performance since its inception 32 years ago.

The study, carried out by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Ahmedabad, and commissioned by the Union Government which was keen on an independent `third party' evaluation of CIPET's performance, has expressed the opinion that it has `done a good job' in terms of fulfilling the needs of industry. The study has suggested a medium and long-term plan for the institute in view of the changing global scenario and the WTO (World Trade Organisation) regime.

The EDI report was discussed today at the meeting of the Governing Council of CIPET and CIPET's annual general meeting, sources said. The council and the AGM were informed by the institute about its latest initiatives, including the launching of an M.Tech in Polymer Science from the next academic year. The institute had achieved an income-expenditure ratio of more than one for the fourth successive year, CIPET sources said.

The Director-General of CIPET, Sushil K. Verma, informed the meetings that CIPET had recently dedicated to the nation its new centres in Guwahati and Haldia and that the new regional centre at Patna would be dedicated to the nation on November 30. According to institute sources, the areas of specialisation of these regional centres have not yet been decided.

Asked about the public image of plastics as a pollutant, the sources said this issue did not figure in the meetings held today. The Union Government had banned only plastics of less than 20 micron. CIPET, which was a member of the Indian Centre for Plastics and the Environment and the Chemical Manufacturers' Association, was creating awareness about the relevant issues at the respective forums, they said.

Regarding the offer of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for a $12 million assistance to CIPET, the sources said the institute's administrative ministry, namely, the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, had approved the proposal in principle and it was now under consideration by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Secretary to the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and President of the institute, Vinay Kohli, presided over the 89th governing council meeting and the 33rd AGM. The presidents of the All India Plastics Manufacturers' Association and the Chennai Chapter of the Indian Plastics Institute, and other representatives of trade industry and academic and professional organisations attended the meetings.

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