Lok Sabha Question No. 2724 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-07
Subject: National Research Foundation
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Smt. Sajda Ahmed

- (a)         Yes, Sir.
- (b)          The  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  increase  the  budget allocation  in  the  field  of  Science  and  Technology  including  R&D  such  as successive increase in plan allocations for scientific departments; creation of Centres of Excellence and facilities in emerging and frontline areas of S&T in academic and national institutions; participating in mega facilities; substantial grant to potential scientists through extramural research funding; scaled up funding in the new areas such as Clean Energy including Energy Efficiency,  Clean  Coal  Technology,  Smart  Grids,  Methanol,  Desalination, Genome Engineering Technology, Climate Change Research; introduction of National  Missions  viz.  National  Quantum  Mission,  National  Mission  on interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems; promotion of innovation, entrepreneurship and start-up grant; Funds for Improvement of S&T

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2724 ANSWERED ON 07/08/2024

## NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION

## 2724.  SMT. SAJDA AHMED:

मंत्री

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the progress of the National Research Foundation and identified areas;
- (b) the steps being taken to increase the budget allocation for R&D to meet global standards;
- (c) whether Government proposes for a mandatory policy for industries to allocate a portion of their profits towards research and development;
- (d) the policy adopted by the Government to provide more autonomy to scientific institutions similar to organizations like ISRO; and
- (e) the initiatives being undertaken to enhance scientific temper and research-oriented  thinking  in  higher  education  institutions  across  the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी तथा पृ थ्िी विज्ञान मंत्रालय क े राज्य मंत्री ( स्ितंत्र प्रभार)

(डॉ. जितेंद्र स ंह)

Infrastructure; encouraging public private partnerships etc. Establishment of Anusandhan  National  Research  Foundation,  as  a  Statutory  body,  is  a remarkable step taken by the Government to increase the budget allocation for R&D in partnering with industry and boost research in the country to meet global standards.

- (c)          Section  135  of  the  Companies Act, 2013 mandates every company having net worth of Rs. 500 crore or more, or turnover of Rs. 1000 crore or more, or net profit of Rs. 5 crore or more during the immediately preceding financial year, to spend at least two per cent of the average net profits of the company  made  over  immediately  preceding  three  financial  years  towards Corporate  Social  Responsibility  (CSR)  for  undertaking  various  activities including contribution to incubators or R&D projects in the field of science, technology, engineering and medicine, funded by the Central Government or State Government or Public Sector Undertaking or any agency of the Central Government or State Government. No other proposal for a mandatory policy for  industries  to  allocate  a  portion  of  their  profits  towards  R&D  is  under consideration.
- (d)         The Autonomous Institutions (AIs) under administrative control of the Ministry of Science and Technology have been provided autonomy to initiate R&D activities through their respective Governing Councils. Relaxations have been  made  in  the  General  Financial  Rules  2017  specifically  for  scientific Ministries for procurement procedures. Financial powers have been delegated to AIs for doing research and procurement of equipment.
- (e)         The Ministry of Science and Technology has several programmes to enhance scientific temper and research oriented thinking in higher education institution  across  the  country.  Every  year  the  Department  of  Science  and Technology (DST) is conducting lectures, seminars and open houses through State S&T Councils across the country in higher educational institutions to showcase thriving scientific ecosystem and inspire students to pursue R&D and innovation. Post Graduate programme of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)  provides  research  support  grant  to  higher  education  institutions  for dissertation/thesis writing. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)  had  launched  a  programme  named  'JIGYASA'  in  collaboration  with Kendriya  Vidyalaya  Sangathan  (KVS)  to  open  up  the  national  scientific facilities  to  school  children,  enabling  CSIR  scientific  knowledgebase  and facility to be utilized by school children to instil 'Scientific Thinking' in the young  minds.  The  Ministry  has  been  providing  doctoral  and  postdoctoral research fellowships to students to pursue research in science and technology in the country.

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