Question : RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTRY

(a) the funds allocated and utilised for research and development in various fields during the last three years and the current year, year-wise and sector-wise;

(b) the progress achieved as a result of the efforts made in the field;

(c) the steps taken by the Government to provided world level facilities and infrastructure in the field of scientific research and development;

(d) whether the Government has identified the role for Non-Governmental Organisations, Public and Private institutions and industries in technological and scientific research and development; and

(e) if so, the action plan formulated for Eleventh Plan in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (PRITHVI RAJ CHAVAN)

(a) The plan funds allocated and utilized for Research and Development in various fields by the Departments of the Ministry of Science and Technology during the last three years and the current year are annexed.

(b) & (c): The Research and Development Support in Indian S&T system has enhanced the Indian capability and global visibility in research and has driven level of funding support system per scientist to critical levels. India’s global position in the field of scientific research, as measured by the number of research papers published has improved from 13th position in 1996 to 10th position in 2009 as per the Scopus International database. India’s research publications have grown with the growth rate of 12.6% during the last four years. R&D support by the Government has created and nurtured competency in frontier areas like Plasma Physics; Structural Biology, Neuroscience, Organic Synthesis; Stem cell; Marine Biotechnology; Nanotechnology; Drugs and Pharmaceuticals; Robotics and Manufacturing; Biomedical Engineering etc. Major research facilities/Centres of excellence in S&T such as: Oceanographic Research Vessel, State-of-the-art Multi-Teraflop High Performance Computing(HPC) Facility, National facility for Functional Genomic Research, National Biosafety level 4 (BSL4) facility, Animal Facility for Indian System of Medicine, Centre for excellence for Lipid Research, Centre of excellence in Flight Mechanics and Control, Innovation Centre for Plasma processing etc. have also been established. The S&T infrastructure of the science departments of Universities, Colleges and other academic Institutions in the country have been substantially improved through a major initiative titled “Fund for Improvement of S&T infrastructure in universities and higher educational institutions (FIST)”.

(d) & (e) Yes, Madam. The government has initiated Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI) during the Eleventh Plan to support the high-risk pre-proof-of-concept research and late stage development in private industries (especially for small and medium companies) lead by innovators with science backgrounds in the area of Biotechnology. Recently a new scheme Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP) was also approved for implementation in partnership with industries for public support on a cost sharing basis. Similarly, there are plans to introduce the related structure / scheme in an emerging field of Nano Science and Technology.

To further encourage R&D across all sectors of the economy, the Government has enhanced weighted deduction on expenditure incurred on approved in-house R&D units under section 35(2AB) of Income Tax Act, from 150 per cent to 200 per cent. Further, weighted deduction on payments made to National Laboratories, Universities or IITs for approved programme on scientific research undertaken under an u/s 35(2AA) of Income Tax Act, has also been enhanced from 125 per cent to 175 per cent.