The Ministry of Science & Technology has received an allocation of ₹16,361.42 crore in the Union Budget 2023-24. This is a nominal increase of 15% from the previous budget. Department of Science and Technology (DST) received the bulk of the hike, with ₹ 7,931.05 crore. The Ministry of Science and Technology had an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially supporting research and innovation on vaccines, medical devices, and drugs. The National Research Foundation is a government-announced entity with an outlay of ₹50,000 crore over five years.
Summary:
- The Ministry of Science & Technology has received an allocation of ₹16,361.42 crore in the Union Budget 2023-24, a nominal increase of 15% from the previous budget.
- The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has received the bulk of the hike, with ₹7,931.05 crore, a 32.1% increase from last year.
- The Department of Biotechnology received ₹2,683.86 crore and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research received ₹5,746.51 crore.
- The Ministry of Earth Sciences received ₹3,319.88 crore, a 25.11% hike.
The Union Budget 2023-24 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Rajya Sabha has allocated ₹16,361 crore to the Ministry of Science & Technology. The allocation is a nominal increase of 15% from the previous budget. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) received the bulk of the hike, with ₹7,931.05 crore, a 32.1% increase from last year. The increase is largely due to a ₹2,000 crore allocation to the National Research Foundation. The Department of Biotechnology received ₹2,683.86 crore, a nominal hike of 3.9%, and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research received ₹5,746.51 crore (1.9%). The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council received a 40% cut.
Q1: What was the allocation for Ministry of Science and Technology in the 2023 Union Budget?
A1: The Ministry of Science & Technology has received an allocation of ₹16,361.42 crore in the 2023 Union Budget.
Q2: What was the role of the Ministry of Science and Technology during the COVID-19 pandemic?
A2: The Ministry of Science & Technology had an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially supporting research and innovation on vaccines, medical devices, and drugs.
Q3: What is the National Research Foundation?
A3: The National Research Foundation is a government-announced entity with an outlay of ₹50,000 crore over five years to strengthen the governance structure of the research-related institutions and improve linkages between R&D, academia, and industry.
Q4: How much was the allocation for the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in the 2023 Union Budget?
A4: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) received ₹7,931.05 crore, a 32.1% increase from last year.
Q5: What was the allocation for the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in the 2023 Union Budget?
A5: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) received ₹2,683.86 crore, a nominal hike of 3.9%.
Q6: What happened to the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) funding in the 2023 Union Budget?
A6: The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) under the DBT received a 40% cut in funding.
