Gadkari launches India’s First Cow Dung Paint developed by KVIC

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways & MSME Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday launched an innovative paint i.e. India’s first cow dung paint which is developed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). 

Chairman KVIC Vinai Kumar Saxena, Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Giriraj Singh and Minister of State for MSME, Pratap Chandra Sarangi were present at the launch. 

The eco-friendly, non-toxic paint, called “Khadi Prakritik Paint” is a first-of-its-kind product, with anti-fungal, anti-bacterial properties. Based on cow dung as its main ingredient, the paint is cost-effective and odourless and has been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). 

Speaking at the launch Gadkari said, “The step is aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of increasing farmers’ income. The step is part of an effort to improve the rural economy to such an extent that reverse migration begins from the cities to rural areas.” 

Pointing out that the paint is priced at only Rs. 120 per litre for the distemper and Rs.225 per litre for the emulsion, Gadkakri said this is less than half the price charged by big paint companies. 

Stressing that the role of the government is only that of a facilitator, Gadkari added that the paint will be marketed professionally, and taken to all corners of the nation. 

Khadi Prakritik Paint is available in two forms i.e. distemper paint and plastic emulsion paint. The project was conceptualized by Chairman KVIC in March 2020 and later developed by Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute, Jaipur (a KVIC unit). 

The paint is free from heavy metals like lead, mercury, chromium, arsenic, cadmium and others. It will be a boost to local manufacturing and will create sustainable local employment through technology transfer. 

This technology will increase the consumption of cow dung as a raw material for eco-friendly products and will generate additional revenue to farmers and gaushalas. Utilization of cow dung will also clean the environment and prevent clogging of drains. 

Khadi Prakritik Distemper & Emulsion Paints have been tested at three reputed National Laboratories i.e. National Test House, Mumbai, Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research, New Delhi National Test House, Ghaziabad, 

Khadi Prakritik Emulsion paint meets BIS 15489:2013 standards; whereas Khadi Prakritik Distemper paint meets BIS 428:2013 standards. The paint has successfully passed various test parameters such as application of paint, thinning properties, drying time and finish, among others. 

It dries in less than four hours and has a smooth and uniform finish. The paint can be applied to the interior as well as exterior walls. Both distemper and emulsion paints are available in the white base colour, and it can be developed in any colour by suitably mixing colourants.