Kolkata, Aug 6 : In the ultra-modern age when automation has become the order of the day, the Rasogolla, immortalised into an immutable brand of Bengal, can hardly be immune to it.
For the first time in the history of sweetmeats, the Kolkata-based Hindusthan Sweets is going to set up a fully customised automated machine to manufacture the Rasogollas and other traditional sweets of Bengal.
Hindusthan Sweets Director Rabindra Kumar Paul told newspersons here yesterday that the entire process would be carried out in three phases, which involves conversion of milk into cottage cheese, shaping of the cheese and passing the resultant material for cooking through conveyor belt. '' The desired size and number of Rasogollas could also be set manually, '' he said.
The set-up for first two stages had been completed and the third, which involves cooking of the product, would be instituted in a year with technical assistance from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, Mr Paul said.
The company will inaugurate its mechanical unit, originating from Korea, capable of executing the second stage on August 8. It will also ink a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IIT Kharagpur for the necessary technology transfer, he stated.
The Hindusthan Sweets is currently capable of producing around 10,000 Rasogollas a day and installation of the new system would further raise the figure to two lakh, he informed.
Ruling out any lay-offs triggered by the new initiative, the director said the firm would come up with an automated sweetmeat manufacturing unit, sprawling over 50,000 sq ft, in the city itself with an investment of Rs 25 crore.
--- UNI
