India
On February 1, the Indian government released the country’s Union Budget for 2017–2018. Science received a slight boost in government funding, with biotechnology and renewable energy in particular receiving significant increases.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) was allocated INR 4,817.27 crore ($710.4 million = $1 = INR 67.66), with INR 2,310.90 crore ($342.1 million) for funding of “Central Sector Schemes and Projects.” This category includes the DST’s budget for R&D, which received funding of INR 595.50 crore ($87.8 million), as well as technology innovation, development and deployment, which was allotted INR 651.90 crore ($96.1 million). The DST’S total budget for 2017–2018 is an increase of 7.8% from last year’s, with funding for “Central Schemes and Projects” rising 10.8% this year.
A major winner in the budget bill is the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, which has been allocated INR 5,472.84 crore ($807.1 million), a 25.5% boost. Funding for the Department of Biotechnology also augmented, accounting for INR 2222.11 crore ($327.7 million) in the 2017–2018 budget, a 15.9% increase. With allocations rising 23.5% in this year’s budget, the Department of Health and Family Welfare received INR 47,352.51 crore ($7.0 billion), while funding for the Department of Health Research increased 11.5% to INR 1,500.00 crore ($221.2 million). The Ministry of Food Processing Industries was allocated INR 800.00 crore ($118.0 million), a 9.7% jump from last year.