Lok Sabha Question No. 1988 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Increasing Expenditure and Encouraging Scientific Activities
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Maneka Sanjay Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1988 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29/11/2019

## INCREASING EXPENDITURE AND ENCOURAGING SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

## 1988.  SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY वान और ौयोगक मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) the total budget spent on research in the field of science and technology in India by the Government in the financial year 2018-19;
- (b) whether the budget allocation have increased/decreased as compared to previous financial year;
- (c) whether the number of scientists per million people in India is far below the other Asian countries;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto along with the steps being taken to encourage scientific activities in the country; and
- (e) the number of patents for new innovations granted to Indian scientists during each of the last five years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

वाय और परवार कयाण मंी ; वान और ौयोगक मंी ; और पृ वी वान मंी

डॉ. हष वधन

- (a)  &  (b):    The  details  of  budgetary  allocation  and  total  budget  spent  /actual  expenditure  on research  in  the  field  of  science  and  technology  by  the  Ministry  of  Science  and  Technology Government of India in the financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19 are given as under: -

(Rs. In Crores)

| Department                                           | Budget Allocated   | Budget Allocated   | Budget Utilized   | Budget Utilized   |
|------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| Department                                           | 2017-18            | 2018-19            | 2017-18           | 2018-19           |
| Department of Science and Technology (DST)           | 4746.81            | 5134.89            | 4635.22           | 5047.84           |
| Department of Biotechnology (DBT)                    | 2260.11            | 2411.63            | 2231.42           | 2379.10           |
| Department of Scientific &Industrial Research (DSIR) | 4629.70            | 4572.84            | 4618.29           | 4568.78           |
| Total (Ministry of Science and Technology)           | 11636.62           | 12119.26           | 11484.92          | 11995.72          |

Accordingly, the budget allocations of the Ministry of Science and Technology for the purpose of conducting  scientific  research  in  the  country  in  financial  year  2018-19  have  increased  as compared to previous financial year 2017-18. For the current financial year, the Government of

India  has  allocated  Rs.  13076.34  crore  for  the  Ministry  of  Science  and  Technology  and  thus budget allocations have increased as compared to previous financial years.

(c) As  per  data  published  in  UIS  2017  R&D  Statistics  Survey,  by  the  United  Nations Educational,  Scientific  and  Cultural  Organization  (UNESCO),  Institute  of  Statistics  (UIS), number of Full Time Equivalent scientists/researchers per million people in India is 218 which is below the other Asian countries like Singapore, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Republic of Korea.

(d) The government has launched a number of new measures and schemes for promotion of people's participation in research and development. A number of new schemes to attract young researchers  that  include:  National  Post  Doctoral  Fellowship;  Early  Career  Research  Award; Overseas Doctoral Fellowship; Overseas Post Doctoral Fellowship; and, Teacher Associates for Research Excellence, have been launched. These schemes have almost doubled the opportunities for young and aspiring researchers for carrying out R&D in their chosen areas of science and engineering.  To  address  gender  imbalance,  a  new  scheme  called  'KIRAN'  has  been  launched and a  pilot  scheme  VIGYAN JYOTI has been started to attract and encourage young women scientists.

The Government has taken various steps to encourage scientific activities  in  the country such as successive increase in allocations for scientific departments, setting up of new institutions for science education and research, creation of Centres of Excellence and facilities in emerging and frontline areas of S&T in academic and national institutions, launching of new fellowships, substantial grant to potential scientists through extramural research funding, scaled up funding in the new areas such as Clean Energy and Water Technology, National Supercomputing Mission (NSM),  National  Mission  on  Interdisciplinary  Cyber  Physical  System  (ICPS),  promotion  of innovation, entrepreneurship and start-ups, etc. Department of Science and Technology is also implementing the 'Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research' (INSPIRE) Scheme to maintain the pool of talented and well-nurtured researchers in the country.

To attract youth with science background to pursue science as a career, the government has recently enhanced the fellowship stipend.

(e) As  per  the  Annual  Report  2017-18  of  the  office  of  the  Controller  General  of  Patents, Designs,  Trademarks  and  Geographical  Indications  India,  the  number  of  patents  for  new innovations granted to Indian scientists during the years 2013-14 to 2017-18 each as under:-

| Year    | Number Granted   | of Patent   |
|---------|------------------|-------------|
| Year    | Indian           | Foreign     |
| 2013-14 | 634              | 3,592       |
| 2014-15 | 684              | 5,294       |
| 2015-16 | 918              | 5,408       |
| 2016-17 | 1,315            | 8,532       |
| 2017-18 | 1,937            | 11,108      |

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