“MAGIC” process lab

Question: Recently Union Minister for Science & Technology & Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan, inaugurated a unique “MAGIC” Process Lab at-

(a) New Delhi
(b) Pune
(c) Kolkata
(d) Mumbai

Ans (b)

Related facts:

  • On 2 February 2016, Union Minister for Science & Technology & Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan, inaugurated a unique MAGIC [Modular, Agile, Intensified & Continuous] Process Lab at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR)-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) Pune.
  • This will help in bringing about a paradigm shift in the way in which India’s Fine and Specialty Chemicals industry will operate in the future.
  • This process Lab is opened for the benefit of small and medium scale chemical industries.
  • This lab will change currently practiced process technologies into modern processes making it cleaner, greener, safer, compact, scalable and economical.
  • With this our country will be able to increase its contribution to global production of chemicals from the current levels of 3 to 5% over the next few years.
  • The lab was established in 2006 and the main work started in 2010. But most of the work at that time was done for in-house research. Only recently, work started for commercial purposes.
  • At present, the lab earns between Rs 13 crore and Rs 15 crore per year from commercial ventures.
  • At exhibition in the MAGIC Lab the products and processes developed under the MAGIC program were displayed.
  • The products developed under the MAGIC program such as intensified metallic reactors (commercialized by Amar Equipment), tubular glass lined reactors (developed in collaboration with GMM Pfaudler) and reaction calorimeters were also displayed.
  • In the exhibition set up at the Polymers and Advanced Materials Laboratory, Dr. Harsh Vardhan witnessed a live demonstration of indigenously developed 1 kW Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) system.
  • CSIR – National Chemical Laboratory Pune India is a research, development and consulting organization with a focus on chemicals and materials.
  • NCL is a flagship laboratory of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research which is the largest network of publicly funded research institute in India.
  • The laboratory offers 80 PhD degrees every year in important research areas such as healthcare, energy, drinking water, environment, crop and nutrition and strategic sectors.
  • CSIR-NCL also offers specialized technical training programs to industry personnel.
  • The laboratory has trained as many as 2000 young engineers and scientists working in areas of polyolefin’s, engineering plastics, fine and specialty chemicals, etc.

Reference:

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=136026

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/MAGIC-lab-for-industry-products/articleshow/50829639.cms