VSBK programme in India
In 1995, the Swiss agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) launched an Action Research Project aimed at improving efficiency of brick kilns in India. As a part of this project it was decided to field test the techno-economic feasibility of VSBK technology under Indian conditions. For this purpose, four VSBK pilot plants were constructed in India3. The first VSBK pilot plant became operational in May 1996. The design and construction work of the VSBK pilot plants was carried out under the guidance of experts from Energy Research Institute of the Henan Academy of Sciences at Zhengzhou, Henan, China. The locations for pilot plants were selected so as to test VSBK technology under different soil-fuel-climate-market conditions. An initial investment of about Rs 2,50,000 to 3,00,000 for a production capacity of about 5000 bricks per day was incurred in the construction of pilot plants.