Know about Wool Research Association

CHAPTER II

Clause (i ) - the particulars of its organisation, functions and duties;

As per the Memorandum of Association the objects of the Association are:

(a) To establish a Research Institute for Wool Industry and to undertake, carry on, or help to carry on research and other scientific work in connection with the wool trade or industry including man-made fibres and other trades or research and other scientific work will include research and scientific work in, among others, the following directions:

(i) Undertake research into the usability and the manufacture and improvement of materials used in Wool Textiles Industry and other traders or industries including man-made fibres allied therewith including sizing, dyeing, bleaching, finishing, printing and chemical stores, etc.

(ii) Undertake research into the utilization of the products of the Wool Textiles Industry.

(iii) Undertake research into the improvement of various machinery appliance used by the Wool Textiles Industry including man-made fibres and other trades or industries allied therewith and developing new machinery and appliances for manufacturing, testing and recording purposes and

(iv) Undertake research into and improvement of various processes of manufacture with a view to securing greater efficiency, rationalization, and reduction of costs.

(b) To establish and maintain laboratories, workshops and conduct experiments therein; to encourage and foster education of persons engaged in or likely to be engaged in the said trades or industries; and to maintain schools and grant scholarships connected with the purpose of the Association and to employ instructors and personnel as may be considered necessary for the said purposes and to pay remuneration to them.

(c) To edit, print, publish and exhibit books, papers and periodicals and to undertake literary activities bearing upon the said trades or industries or any of them and to collect, compile and publish scientific data and other information relating to the said trades or industries; and to maintain libraries or museums for the said purpose; to employ skilled workers and professional technical advisers to carry out the objects of the Association and to pay therefore such remuneration as may be considered expedient.

(d) To encourage discoveries, to examine and publish information regarding the nature and merits of inventions, improvements, materials and designs connected with the said trades or industries or any of them and to take and acquire patents or licenses relating to such inventions, improvements or processes and to acquire and register designs and standardisation marks to develop, perfect and test their value.

(e) To appoint investigators to study in India or abroad constitutional, administrative, economic and other scientific problems in regard to scientific research undertaken by the Association in regard to such problems including the financial aspect.

(f) To accept grants of money from the Government, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and other public bodies, corporation, companies or persons for the purposes of the Association, on such conditions as may be agreed to.

(g) To assist the research work of any Association or institution and other bodies incorporated or not, whose objects included Scientific and Industrial Research, in such a manner as may be considered expedient.

(h) To establish, maintain and control branches of the Association in India and elsewhere and to dissolve or modify their constitution.

(i) To undertake and execute any trusts which may be conducive to any of the objects of the Association.

(j) To provide for funds for all or any of the objects of the Association whether effecting the whole of the trades or industries mentioned in clauses (a & b) or merely one or more particular parts or sections of the trades or industries or the business or any particular member or group of members of Association, in such a manner as may be considered expedient.

(k) To borrow or raise any money that may be required by the Association upon such terms as may be deemed advisable, and in particular and with the prior approval of the Ministry of Textiles, by the issue of bonds, debentures, bill of exchange, promissory notes or other obligations or securities of the Association, or by mortgage or charge of all or any part of the property of the Association.

(l) To draw, make, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes, bills of exchange and other negotiable or transferable instruments.

(m) To invest the moneys of Association not immediately required in any one or more of the modes of investment for the time being authorised by law for the investment of trust moneys and in the capital contribution for Gujarat Sheep & Wool Development Corpn, Ltd., Ahmedabad, with full power to alter, vary or transfer such investments in accordance with the law for the time being in force.

(n) To purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any movable or immovable property, and in particular any land, building, workshops, factories, laboratories, machinery, plant, apparatus, appliances, and any rights or privileges necessary or convenient for the purpose of the Association, and to construct, erect, alter, improve and maintain any building and to manage, develop, sell demise, let mortgage, dispose of, turn to account or otherwise deal with all or part of the same and salo to sell the undertaking of the Association for cash or any other consideration with a view to the promotion of the objects of the Association.

(o) To pay all expenses preliminary or incidental to the formation of the Association and its registration.

(p) To use the funds of the Association in the employment of persons of learning or skill, and the provision and use of buildings, and of instruments, materials and appliance, and of any of the equipment of the Association and any form of scientific studies which may be considered to have some bearing, whether immediate or ultimate, on practical problems involved in the nature or use of the textile industry and other trades or industries allied therewith.

(q) To collect, arrange, index and publish information as to material, patents, processes, machines, appliances and tools used or known in or in regard to the textile industry and other trades or industries allied therewith or likely to be useful thereto, and to establish and maintain a Bureau of Information for the benefit of members of the Association.

(r) To establish, support, or aid in the establishment and support, of Association, institutions funds or trust calculated to benefit employees or ex-employees of the Association or the dependents or connection of such persons, and to grant pensions and allowances to and to make payments towards insurance of such persons.

(s) To procure the Association to be registered or recognized in any part of India or in foreign country or place.

(t) To do all such other lawful things as may be incidental to or conducive to the attainment of the above objects.

Provided that the Association shall not support with its funds any objects, or endeavour to impose on or procure to be observed by its members or others any regulation, restriction or condition, which if an object of the Association, would make it a trade union.

The Extract from the Memorandum of Association:

a. The income and property of the Association whensoever derived, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Association and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, gift, division, bonus or otherwise by way of profit, to the Members of the Association.

Provided that nothing herein shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any officer or servant of the Association or to any member of the Association, in return for any services rendered to the Association, or for any materials, labour, plant or power supplied for experimental purposes, nor prevent the payment of interest at a rate not exceeding six percent per annum on money lent, or payment of a reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or let by any Members of the Association.

Provided further that, no Member, except the Director of Research, of the Council of the Association shall be appointed to any salaried office of the Association or any office of the Association paid by fees, and that no remuneration or other benefit shall be given by the Association to any Member of such Council of the Association except by way of repayment out-of-pocket expenses and interest at the rate aforesaid on money lent or the payment of a reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or let to the Association or any remuneration to any Member of the Council in accordance with any remuneration by or with the approval of the Ministry of Textiles.

Provided also that nothing herein shall prevent any Member of the Association, whether a Member of the Council or not, from exercising any processes and making, using, acquiring and lending any articles and things in the ordinary course of his business for profit or otherwise under any license or permission in respect of any discovery, invention and patents resulting form work of the Association.

b. Any addition, alteration, modification or removal of any clause in the Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations, or dissolution of the Association shall be subject to prior approval of the Ministry of Textiles.

c. If upon winding up or dissolution of the Association there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the Members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to some other institution, and which shall be prohibit the distribution of its or other income and property amongst its or their Members to an extent alteast as great as is imposed on the Association under or by virtue of clause 4 hereof, such institutions to be determined by the Members of Association subject to the approval of the Ministry of Textiles at or before the time of dissolution.

d. True accounts shall be kept of the sums of money received and expended by the Association, and the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditure take place, of all sales and purchases of goods by the Association and of the property, credits and liabilities of the Association. Once at least in every year the accounts of the Association shall be examined, and the correctness of the balance sheet ascertained by one or more properly qualified auditor or auditors

Authorities of the Association:

(i) President

(ii) Vice President or Vice-Presidents

(iii) Director of Research

(iv) Secretary and

(v) Such other persons who may be declared to be the authorities

Of the Association by the Council

Governing Council of the Association:

“The Council of the Association shall consist of the President, Two Vice-Presidents and 12 Members. The number of Members may be increased or decreased by resolution passed at a meeting of the General Body. Subject to provision contained herein all members of the Council shall be ordinary members and / or nominated members, elected by the Association provided that always three members shall be representatives of the Ministry of Textiles. The Director of Research will be an ex-officio Member of the Council”.

Governing Council functions (as given in the MOA):

- To carry out the objects of he Association as set forth in the Memorandum of Association.

- To have management of the all the affairs and funds of the Association & exercise all the powers of the Association subject of conditions laid down by Resolutions of the General Body

- To manage affairs of the Association.

- Shall have control in regards to all matters relating to the management and organisations of the Association.

- To make, impose, vary and repeal by-laws,

- To pay expenses,

- To purchase or otherwise acquire

- To secure fulfillment of contract

- To institute, defend, compound or abandon

- To refer claims to arbitration

- To give receipts

- To invest Association’s money

- To enter into rescind contracts

- To set up local branches of the Association

- To provide for compliance with regulations

- To establish and promote research work

- To use funds of the Association

- To collect information

- To establish and support institutions

- To pay the cost of promotion, etc. of Association

- To borrow or raise money

- To draw promissory notes and bills

- To take Offices or acquire premises

- To engage professional assistance

- To appoint Trustees, hold in trust

- To institute, conduct, defend, etc legal proceedings

- To appoint Committees

- To apply for patents

- To appoint attorneys

- To provide for compliance with regulations

Constituents of Governing Council (2004 – 2006)

Chairman Emeritus - SHRI B.K. KEDIA

Advisor, Raymond Ltd

President - SHRI. RAVIKANT KAPUR

Director, G.R. Woollen Mills

Sr. Vice President - SHRI. V.K. BHARTIA

Advisor, Raymond Ltd

Vice President - SHRI. A.N. CHOUDHARY

Advisor, Indian Rayon & Industries Ltd

MEMBERS (ELECTED) :

1. SHRI. K.C. BOTHRA, MANAGING DIRECTOR, Bikaner Woollen Mills Ltd.,

2. SHRI. BHARATBHAI PATEL, Managing Director, Shri. Dinesh Mills Ltd,

3. DR. G.S. SINGH, Vice President (Q.A & Technical Services), Raymond Ltd

4. SHRI. A.K. CHURIWAL, Chairman & Managing Director, BSL Ltd.,

5. SHRI. M.L. PAMECHA, Modern Woolens Limited

6. SHRI. RAJEEV KAPUR, Director, Grentex & Co. Pvt. Ltd

7. SHRI. R.K. KHANNA, Director, Sarvanabava Mills

8. SHRI PREM MEHRA, Managing Director, Global Wool Alliance Pvt. Ltd

9. SHRI P.B. VAID, Executive Director, Reid & Taylor

MEMBERS (EX. OFFICIO) :

1. Director (Wool), Ministry of Textiles, New Delhi

2. Director (Finance), Ministry of Textiles, New Delhi

3. Textile Commissioner, O/o Textile Commissioner, Mumbai

4. Director, Wool Research Association

MEMBERS (SPECIAL INVITEE) :

1. Regional Director, Woolmark Services India P. Ltd., New Delhi

2. Secretary General, Indian Woolen Mills Federation, Mumbai

3. Executive Director, Central Wool Development Board, Jodhpur

4. Managing Director, Gujarat Sheep & Wool Development Corpn. Ahmedabad

President’s functions:

He is elected by the Governing Council members and has to go for re-election every two years. Being the senior most authority he is responsible to the Council and supervising proper functioning of the Association as its head. He is also responsible for calling a meeting of the Council and presiding the same.

Director’s functions:

- Shall in all matters under his charge, have powers similar to those of a Director of National Laboratory under the C.S.I.R. or such powers as may be given to him from time to time by the Council of Association.

- Shall prescribe the duties of all officers and staff of the Association and shall exercise such supervision and disciplinary control as may be necessary in accordance with these rules.

- To coordinate an exercise general supervision over all research activities of the Association.

- Shall exercise his powers under the superintendence and control of the Council of Associations

COUNCIL MEETINGS

Three Governing Council Meetings and Annual General meeting were held during the year 2004-2005.

105^th Governing Council Meeting

. 105^th Governing Council Meeting was held on 14^th July 2004 at 2.30 p.m. at Indian Woollen Mills Federation, Churchgate Chambers, New Marine Lines, Mumbai.

106^th Governing Council Meeting

106^th Governing Council Meeting was held on Friday, 10^th December 2004 at 2.30 p.m. at Indian Woollen Mills Federation, Churchgate Chambers, New Marine Lines, Mumbai.

107^th Governing Council Meeting

107^th Governing Council Meeting held on Friday, 4^th March 2005 at 2.30 p.m. at Indian Woollen Mills Federation office, Mumbai.

39^th Annual General Meeting

The 39^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of WRA alongwith AGM of IWMF & Wooltexpro was conducted on 28^th September 2004 at Textile Committee, Mumbai.

INFRASTRUCTURE

TEXTILE TESTING LABORATORY

• The Textile Testing Lab. is ISO 9001-2000 certified.

• The Textile Testing Lab is certified and calibrated by Interwoollabs Brussels, Belgium since 1970 for fineness measurement by Airflow, Projection Microscope and OFDA since 2002.

• In October 2002 the Confidentiality Agreement was signed by WRA with AWTA Ltd., NZWTA Ltd. and WTB SA (The ILRT group) & participating in inter-lab trials.

• International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), Brussels, Belgium, unanimously accepted Wool Research Association as ‘Associate Member’.

• The Textile Testing Lab is also in the process of getting NABL Accreditation - ISO 17025 and is also planning for IWTO accreditation for greasy wool certification.

The Textile Testing Lab is well equipped with the equipments for testing of the physical properties of wool and its blends from fibre to fabric with latest addition of the Optical Fineness Diameter Analyser and Uster Tester 4SX Evenness Tester machine. WRA renders its services to its members and non-members from textile industry, defence, customs, railways, state transports and other authorities.