Lok Sabha Question No. 4209 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: Research in Artificial Intelligence
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: M.K. Vishnu Prasad, Kirron  Kher, Shrikant Eknath Shinde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION. NO.4209 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13/12/2019

## RESEARCH IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

4209.  DR. VISHNU PRASAD M.K.: SHRIMATI KIRRON KHER: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  plans  to  improve  research  in  Artificial  Intelligence  (AI)  and Information Technology (IT) by promoting/encouraging competent research in this field, if so, the details thereof and the plans formulated in consultation with other Ministries;
- (b) the  current  level  of  financial  and  institutional  support  provided  by  the  Government  for research in AI and IT;
- (c) whether there has been increased allocation in the budget for research in AI and IT, if so, the details thereof and the funds allocated in these fields during the last three years;
- (d) whether  the  Government  provides  any  support  to  individual/  private  companies  filing patents in the field of AI and IT and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government to boost the research in the said fields?

## 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) The details of action taken to improve Research in AI and IT by government are as under:
- (i)    Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information Technology (IT) are the focused research areas under Department of Science & Technology initiated National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical  Systems  (NM-ICPS).  The  Mission  has  strategies  to  improve  research  in Artificial Intelligence  (AI)  and  Information  Technology  (IT)  by  creating    dedicated Innovation Hubs. The Mission was formulated in consultation with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, NITI Ayog, Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Department of Heavy Industry, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion and Department of Space.
- (ii)   NITI Aayog, after extensive consultation with various Ministries and leading academicians, institutions,  practitioners  and  industry  players,  has  released  India's  National  Strategy  for Artificial  Intelligence  in  June  2018.  It  is  also  associated  with  formalizing  the  institutional mechanism and funding framework to implement the recommendations of the National AI Strategy.  The  Strategy  has  outlined  India's  proposed  efforts  in  research,  development, adoption and skilling in AI. The major recommendations of the Strategy include, inter alia, setting  up  Centres  of  Research  Excellence  (CORE)  focused  on  fundamental  research,

International  Centres  on  Transformational  AI  (ICTAI)  focused  on  applied  research, developing  a  centralized  state  of  the  art  AI  computing  infrastructure  (AIRAWAT),  and pursuing moonshot projects in AI.

(b) Government  has  provided  Rs  124.00  Crore  to  Department  of  Science  &  Technology  for supporting research in AI & IT, during the current financial year.

(c) Yes, Sir. Rs. 1.00 Lakh was allocated to DST during the financial year 2018-19 and Rs.124.00 Crore during the current financial year for conducting research in the field of AI & IT. Further, approval for a National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) has been received by DST at a total cost of Rs 3,660.00 Crore for 5 years.

- (d) Yes, Sir.
- (i) Technology  Development  Board  (TDB),  a  statuary  Body  under  Department  of  Science  & Technology  and  Technology  Information  Forecasting  and  Assessment  Council  (TIFAC),  an autonomous organization under DST support patent filing in all technology fields, including AI and IT, by individuals/private companies.
- (ii)  Also,  Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information  Technology  (MeitY)  over  the  years  has  taken concerted  steps  to  promote,  protect  and  proliferate  the  culture  of  IPR  especially  among  the Micro,  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises  (MSMEs)  and  technology  Start-Ups  engaged  in hardware  manufacturing, software, embedded  circuits or other related areas of  ICT development  in  the  country.  A  significant  initiative  of  MeitY  has  been  the  'Support  for International  Patent  Protection  in  E&IT  (SIP-EIT)'  scheme  that  encourages  international patent filing by Indian MSMEs and Start-Ups so as to encourage innovation and recognize the value and capabilities of global IP.
- (e)(i)  National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) of the Department of  Science  &  Technology  (DST)  is  implemented  through  25  Technology  Innovation  Hubs created at reputed academic institutes across the country. These Hubs are expected to boost research in AI and IT field in association with Academia, Industry, Central Ministries and State Governments.
- (ii) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India initiated 'Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for Electronics and IT' with an objective to enhance the number of PhDs in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES) sectors in the country. The research areas supported under the Scheme inter alia include Artificial Intelligence.

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