A reliable service delivery mechanism assures the entrepreneur that required technical support will be available at all stages from installation to commissioning. Thus arises a need to develop and nurture service providers who can provide brick technology services at an affordable scale and rate.

Availability of easy access to commercial service providers is an important consideration when investing in a new production technology. Sustainable brick production and operation needs organised training and workable skills for developing masons, machine operators, equipment manufacturers, firemen and firing supervisors. Only then are newer brick-making technologies likely to gain the foothold required for its larger-scale adoption.

Most brick entrepreneurs in India are based in a rural setting. Various policies exist within the governments for promotion of rural technologies towards employment generation. However, the same has yet not reached the entrepreneur. Either they are ignorant of the existing rules and regulations or collating the right information is hard to achieve.

Labour

Machine operators

Technology and equipment

With increased awareness on environment and natural resources, the small brick kiln owners are threatened with closure mostly due to their reluctance to change over to alternative technology solutions. New technology solutions (Eco Kilns fly ash, concrete blocks, high draught kilns etc) have been demonstrated only on a limited scale; with claims of the new kilns being largely unproven except in some specific circumstances.

The major problem is the absence of a critical presence of commercially proven alternatives. Thus there is a need to develop and nurture service providers through a short to medium term support who will provide brick technology services in a commercial manner at an affordable scale and rate. Interaction with practicing entrepreneurs to create confidence amongst new adopters of eco-friendly brick production technologies is also required.

The need of the hour is:

• Generation of awareness among key stakeholders

o Consumer – both private and institutional (CPWD, PWD, Line departments)

o Entrepreneurs – about existing rules and regulations

•   Capacity building of regulatory staff at a regional level with respect to technical and legal provisions applicable to the brick sector

•   Primers for easy understanding

•   Service providers for technology and finance aspects

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