2 Startups From Cuttack & Bhubaneswar Get Grants Under Mines Ministry’s R&D Drive

New Delhi: Union Minister of Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi on Friday handed over letters of financial grants to five startups, including two from Odisha, for funding innovations in mining and mineral sector.

According to an official release, L N Indtech Services Pvt Ltd, Bhubaneswar, has been granted Rs. 0.40 crore for efficient and sustainable production of alumina hydrates by electrolysis of sodium carbonate and produce hydrogen. Similarly, Cellark Powertech Pvt. Ltd, Cuttack, has been granted Rs. 1.7 crore for Setting up of Pilot scale production(25kg/Day) of high purity battery grade silicon material for lithium-ion battery anode.

The Ministry has been funding research and development (R&D) projects of many research institutions in mining and metallurgy sector since 1978 for safety, economy, speed and efficiency in these sectors, under its Science and Technology Programme.

In November 2023, it enlarged the scope of the programme by launching S&T-PRISM to fund research and innovation in startups and MSME working in the field of mining and mineral sector to bridge up the gap between R&D and commercialisation as also to promote the ecosystem for complete value chain in mining and mineral sector.

These five were selected from 56 startups/MSME for funding of Rs 6 crore based on milestone. Along with financial grants, these selected startups/MSMEs will be provided mentorship or incubation support and technical advisory support during entire project period by a Facilitation & Mentorship Team under the implementing agency, Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Center, Nagpur, it further said.

The other three selected startups/MSME

1. Ashvini Rare Earth Pvt. Ltd., Pune, Maharashtra has been granted Rs. 1.5 crore for Establishment of Pilot Plant for extraction of Neodymium – Praseodymium metal from Neodymium-Praseodymium oxide through calcio-thermic reduction route for NdFeB Base Permanent Magnet Application.
2. Saru Smelting Pvt Ltd., Meerut, UP has been granted Rs. 1.16 crore for Establishing a pilot scale plant for Lithium ion-electro fusion reactor for alkali metals..
3. Caliche Private Limited, Shillong, Meghalaya has been granted Rs. 1.2 crore for development of a software named GARBH for exploration of rare-earth elements.

The Ministry will invite proposals under next round of S&T PRISM from March 1 with last date of submission of projects by April 30, the release added.