Question : PROMOTION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

THE MINISTER OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS AND MINISTER OF STEEL(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.


STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 456 FOR ANSWER ON 24.4.2008 REGARDING PROMOTION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

(a): Yes, Sir.

(b): Details of investments made by the Government Departments for Research and Development during 2007-08 is as under :-

i)Department of Science & Technology (DST)	Rs.118.0 crores;
ii)Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research (DSIR)	Rs. 2.3 crores;
iii)Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR)	Rs. 59.91 crores;
iv)Department of Biotechnology (DBT)	Rs. 38.18 crores.
v)Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals
(Through National Institute of Pharmaceutical	Rs. 8.61 Crores
Education and Research, (NIPER) Mohali)

(c): During 2008-09, the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals will assist National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali to carry out R&D for New Drug Discovery Programmes for Diabetes, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Leishmaniasis etc.

Department of Science and Technology (DST) will continue to provide soft loans to industry for collaborative projects under Drugs and Pharmaceutical Research Programme (DPRP) for which a budget of Rs. 100.00 crores has been provided in 2008-09.

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) will continue to carryout new drug development in parasitic and microbial diseases, anti-cancer, diabetes, asthma etc.

Department of Biotechnology will promote research in biotechnology including biotechnological drugs including vaccine development.

(d): Government is providing various fiscal measures such as weighted tax deduction @ 150% under section 35(2AB) of Income Tax Act, 1961 and promoting outsourcing research by providing a proposed weighted deduction of 125% to companies engaged in Research and Development. Various non-fiscal measures are being provided by Department of Science and Technology through Drugs and Pharmaceutical Research Programme of Department of Science and Technology and Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI) of Department of Biotechnology for promoting Research and Development in Pharmaceutical Sector.