Lok Sabha Question No. 1345 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Public Research Institutions
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: D. Ravikumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1345 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2022

## PUBLIC RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

1345.   SHRI RAVIKUMAR D.:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ǒव£ान और Ĥौƭोिगकȧ मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) the measures taken by the Government to increase the number of Public Research Institutions;
- (b) whether the Government funding for research is comparatively low at  0.9%  of  GDP,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  by  the Government to encourage research in private sector; and
- (c) whether the  Government has any  plans  to  set  up  new  research centres like Raman Research Institute, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & EARTH SCIENCES

(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

ǒव£ान और Ĥौƭोिगकȧ तथा पृØवी ǒव£ान मंğालय क े राÏय मंğी ( èवतंğ Ĥभार) ( डॉ. ǔजतɅġ िसंह )

- (a) The Ministry is continuously committed to promote networking and collaborations amongst various public and private research Institutions / centers / organisations to strengthen the scientific ecosystem.
- (b) The Government's funding for research in terms of National Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) to GDP figure remains around 0.7% during last 5 years.

The Government has taken several steps to encourage research in private sector by incentivizing investment by the private sector to increase GERD. The government has been offering various financial incentives that fall  under  the  category  of  direct  incentives  in  the  form  of  funding programmes  for  the  private  sector  to  contribute  to  the  national  R&D

ecosystem  through  R&D  programmes  being  implemented  by  various ministries  and  their  associated  departments.  It  also  offers  indirect incentives in the form of tax incentives on R&D investments to the private sector. Government has already allowed the corporate sector to make R&D investments under their mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). There are specific investment incentives offered such as Location-based tax  incentives  that  lead  to  100%  deductions  of  profits  generated  from establishing  and  doing  business  in  North-  Eastern  states  of  India  for  a period of 10 years. The government has also taken specific steps towards ease of doing business, IP management, and procurement policies, that will aid in stimulating the private sector's participation in the national R&D ecosystem.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is implementing New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (CSIR-NMITLI) program. Under CSIR-NMITLI, soft loan @3% interest is being provided to industry/ies  to  carry  out  research  and  development.  Partnering  public institutions are provided grant-in-aid under the program.

- (c) As on date, there is no plan to set up a new research centre like Raman  Research  Institute.  However,  Raman  Research  Institute  is  an existing autonomous body of Department of Science and Technology (DST) located at Bangalore.

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