Lok Sabha Question No. 1726 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-04
Subject: Technology Development Board
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: PINAKI MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1726

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04/05/2016

## TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

## 1726.  SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó Ùðüëðó be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  Technology  Development  Board  (TDB)  and  its  aims  and objectives; (b) the targets set/achieved by TDB during each of the last three years and the current year; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to ensure proper functioning of TDB?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI Y.S. CHOWDARY)

òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó +ÉÉè® ÑðöÆãðó òãðìððÐð ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó

(gÉÉÒ ´ÉÉ<Ç. AºÉ. SÉÉèvÉ®ÉÒ)

- (a) The  Technology  Development  Board  (TDB)  was  established  on  1.9.1996  as  a statutory  body  under  the  Department  of  Science  &  Technology  (DST)  vide  the Technology  Development  Board  Act,  1995.  The  aim  of  TDB  is  to  provide  financial assistance to industrial concerns and other such agencies that are attempting commercial application of indigenous technology or adapting imported technology for wider domestic application.

TDB provides such financial assistance as equity capital, loan or grant to industrial concerns and other such research and development institutions engaged in activities as defined above.

Since inception in 1996, TDB has so far provided financial assistance to about 350 concerns/ R & D institutions directly and through its partnered organizations such as Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). It has signed agreements with industries in crucial sectors of economy spread in all states within India.

TDB also plays pro-active role in promoting new ideas from small enterprises even at  the  risk  of  failures,  encourages  production  of  competitive  consumer  products  and motivates industries and R&D institutions for product innovation.

- (b) TDB supports most crucial sectors such as Healthcare, Engineering, Agriculture, Energy & Waste Utilization, Telecommunication and Information Technology etc.  It funds projects that are submitted by industries in all core-sectors throughout the year

with no defined targets set under the category. However, during last three years, there has been a special focus on social enterprising through its partnered organizations such as  FICCI,  CII  and  Department  for  International  Development,  UK  (DFID)  through Millennium Alliance, Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA) and Innovative Ventures for Technology Development (INVENT) programmes respectively. Under this, four annual 'Call for Proposals' were made and road-shows/exhibitions organized for sensitizing applicants.

## The proposals that received direct funding through TDB in the last three years included:

| Year    |   Technology Proposals received | Agreements signed/ Projects financed   |   Amount disbursed (Rs. in crores) |
|---------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 2013-14 |                              44 | 16                                     |                              99.1  |
| 2014-15 |                              28 | Nil                                    |                              10.29 |
| 2015-16 |                              27 | 2                                      |                              68.85 |

The proposals that received funding through partnered organization Millennium Alliance included:

| Year    |   Social Enterprise Proposals received |   Proposals financed |
|---------|----------------------------------------|----------------------|
| 2013-14 |                                    130 |                    9 |
| 2014-15 |                                    300 |                   26 |
| 2015-16 |                                    600 |                   33 |

The proposals that received funding through partnered organization GITA on Technology Acquisition included:

| Year    |   Technology acquisition Proposals received |   Proposals financed |
|---------|---------------------------------------------|----------------------|
| 2015-16 |                                        1000 |                   14 |

In the current year, it is planned to invite proposals on: Medical Devices; Wireless Technologies  through  'Call  for  Proposals'  &  collaborate  with  DRDO  on  defence technologies. TDB is planning to enter into State-Center collaboration with six states and develop a few business clusters in the North Eastern Region. An MoU with Bpifrance has been signed to work jointly in the areas of Aeronautics; Automobile & Biotechnology.

(c) TDB  functions  as  a  statutory  body  under  the  Department  of  Science  & Technology. It enjoins its stature through the enactment of TDB  Act, 1995. Administratively, the Board has 11 members out of which, 7 are ex-officio Secretaries of linked Departments & 4 are members representing core industries nominated once every three years. The Board is therefore re-constituted every three years. The Chairperson of the Board is the Secretary, DST, ex-officio.

TDB, since its inception in 1996, has received Rs. 579.17 crore as the grant in aid from non-plan budget of DST. TDB, however, has disbursed a total sum of Rs. 1297.45 crore  which includes repayment of loans, the interest earned apart from grant-in-aid received from DST.

********