The Union budget this year was very generous in allocation for the key science departments. Almost all departments and ministries related to science and technology got a big-time increase in budget. “We wish to open up vistas for a vibrant and dynamic economy with a gentle breeze of new technology,” said the finance minister in the budget speech.
The policymakers have argued for years that India can take a quantum leap in the development of the citizens by using modern technology, and the Modi government aims to do the same.
The prowess and efficiency of Indian institutions in technology have been visible in the ISRO programs, which has become a pioneer in space technology. To encourage institutions like NASA to grow, the Modi government has allocated a huge increase in budgetary allocation science and technology departments.
The Department of Biotechnology got the fattest increase with 17 per cent. The allocation to the department was increased from 2,381 crore rupees in last year to 2,786 crore rupees this year.
The Department of Science and Technology too got 14 per cent with a total allocation of 6,301 crore rupees while the Earth Sciences Ministry registered a 14 per cent increase in budgetary allocation at 2,070 crore rupees.
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the apex Indian body for research in science and technology, got a 10 per cent hike in the budget at 5,385 crore rupees compared to last year. Overall, the budget increase to science ministries was at 16,542 crore rupees, 13 per cent more compared to last year.
“Generally, the hikes revolve round 7%, but this time there’s been a significant signal of the government’s encouragement to scientific endeavours,” said Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, “The genomics initiatives as well as encouragement to set up knowledge transfer clusters are among the key sectors that have got a boost.”
The government allocated 13,479 crore rupees, 8 per cent increase compared to 12,473 crore rupees of last year. ISRO is one of the most efficient space agencies in the world. It has uplifted the stature of India in the globe as a major space power. It has launched 103 spacecraft missions and 72 launch missions so far. The organization has also launched 10 student satellites for the purpose of educational welfare.
ISRO has helped the country to project soft power in neighbouring countries by facilitating satellite launches. It has launched 269 foreign satellites of 32 countries including the USA, Israel, Japan and many European countries and has the massive commercial capacity and the potential compete with foreign space agencies.
NDA government has always emphasized on increasing India’s prowess in space technology. In FY2013-14, UPA government allotted just 5,615 crore rupees for ISRO, the premier space agency of Government of India.
The UPA government later revised the ISRO budget to 4,000 crore rupees in the same year. Modi government came to power in May 2014 and presented the new budget in the month of July and increased the government grant by 50 per cent to 6,000 crore rupees in the very same fiscal year. In the FY 21 budget, the allocation increase to 13,479 crore rupees increases by more than 1,000 crore rupees per year.
