(a) whether funding has been approved for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO)-India project;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the amount sanctioned so far and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(c) whether the proposed project seeks to collaborate with other countries working on gravitational waves and if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (Dr. JITENDRA SINGH):
(a) Yes, Sir. Government of India accorded In-principle approval for LIGO-India Project at an estimated cost of Rs. 1260 crore.
(b) Subsequent to the In-principle approval, Department of Atomic Energy sanctioned Rs. 75 crore for pre-investment activities.
(c) Yes, Sir. India partners with the United States of America (USA) under an Memorandum of Understanding signed between Department of Atomic Energy & Department of Science & Technology and National Science Foundation of USA to set up a LIGO Detector in India as part of a Global Network of Gravitational Wave Detectors under the LIGO-India Project.
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