Government Boosts Science and Technology with Budget Hike and New Initiatives: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, and MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions informed. The Government has taken several steps to increase the budget allocation in the field of Science and Technology including R&D such as successive increase in plan allocations for scientific departments while replying to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha today.

According to the reply following key initiatives have been undertaken to boost Science and Technology:

1. Increased Budget Allocation: Successive increases in plan allocations for scientific departments ensure sustained growth and development in the S&T sector.
2. Centres of Excellence: Establishment of Centres of Excellence and facilities in emerging and frontline areas of S&T within academic and national institutions.
3. Mega Facilities Participation: Active participation in the development and utilization of mega scientific facilities.
4. Extramural Research Funding: Substantial grants to potential scientists through extramural research funding to promote high-impact research.
5. New Areas of Focus: Scaled-up funding in critical areas such as Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency, Clean Coal Technology, Smart Grids, Methanol, Desalination, Genome Engineering Technology, and Climate Change Research.
6. National Missions: Introduction of National Missions such as the National Quantum Mission and the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems.
7. Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Promotion of innovation, entrepreneurship, and start-up grants to nurture a robust start-up ecosystem.
8. Public-Private Partnerships: Encouragement of public-private partnerships to leverage combined expertise and resources.
9. Anusandhan National Research Foundation: To increase budget allocation for R&D in collaboration with industry, boosting research efforts nationwide.

The Science and Technology Minister highlighted that Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 mandates every company having net worth of Rs. 500 crore or more, or turnover of Rs. 1000 crore or more, or net profit of Rs. 5 crore or more during the immediately preceding financial year, to spend at least two per cent of the average net profits of the company made over immediately preceding three financial years towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for undertaking various activities including contribution to incubators or R&D projects in the field of science, technology, engineering and medicine, funded by the Central Government or State Government or Public Sector Undertaking or any agency of the Central Government or State Government. No other proposal for a mandatory policy for industries to allocate a portion of their profits towards R&D is under consideration.

Dr. Jitendra Singh further informed that the Autonomous Institutions (AIs) under administrative control of the Ministry of Science and Technology have been provided autonomy to initiate R&D activities through their respective Governing Councils.

Relaxations have been made in the General Financial Rules 201& specifically for scientific Ministries for procurement procedures. Financial powers have been delegated to AIs for doing research and procurement of equipment.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has several programmes to enhance scientific temper and research-oriented thinking in higher education institution across the country. Every year the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is conducting lectures, seminars and open houses through State S&T Councils across the country in higher educational institutions to showcase thriving scientific ecosystem and inspire students to pursue R&D and innovation. Post Graduate programme of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) provides research support grant to higher education institutions for dissertation/thesis writing.

He also shared that Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) had launched a programme named “JIGYASA” in collaboration with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to open up the national scientific facilities to school children, enabling CSIR scientific knowledgebase and facility to be utilized by school children to instil ‘Scientific Thinking’ in the young minds. The Ministry has been providing doctoral and postdoctoral research fellowships to students to pursue research in science and technology in the country.