CMTI seeks Rs 984 crore fund from Centre

 Public sector multidisciplinary R&D organisation Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) has sent a proposal to the government, seeking Rs 984 crore in funding over a five-year period, as it looks to enhance its facilities and improve capabilities in tandem with today's technical needs.

The said proposal has been envisioned by Niti Aayog member V K Saraswat, who is also the president of CMTI's Governing Council.

Talking to DH on Thursday, CMTI Director S Satish Kumar said, "The proposal is in line with plans to enhance this facility into a one-of-its-kind national laboratory for advanced manufacturing technology, following which, we would like to create more such laboratories for various sectors."

Kumar said that the institute has also identified key technologies, in the realm of building additive manufacturing processes, materials, and also enhancing our capabilities in micro and nano technology - calling this push as a '10X transformation of CMTI'. "We would like to improve our facilities as well. The funding requirement that we've sought is for five years, in a phased manner," he said, adding that the funding will be used for facilities' enhancement and capacity upgradation, improving capabilities, and sensor development, among others.

Wanting to tap the prevailing interest around Industry 4.0, CMTI is looking at promoting the concept among SMEs. "We would like to set up a pilot digital factory on campus at CMTI over the next two years. The government has given us a funding of Rs 30 crore for this initiative. The building is ready, and we're conceptualising the factory's implementation. The idea is to give an experience 'touch, feel and try' to SMEs," Kumar said, adding that 80% of SMEs are involved in manufacturing.

Under the 12th Plan, CMTI received around Rs 200 crore in funding from the Centre. Earlier in the day, Saraswat said that the time had come for CMTI to commercialise, by which the country could earn more revenues and better GDP.

Meanwhile, in the presence of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Anant G Geete, CMTI signed an MoU with HMT. "By the MoU, CMTI becomes a development partner for HMT, and the latter will take up productionisation. A couple of machines with huge market demand have been identified," Kumar said.