India’s proposed fiscal 2011–2012 (April 1, 2011–March 31, 2012) general budget, announced February 28, shows an ongoing commitment to science and technology funding. The government expects to pass the final budget by March 24. The budget involves both Plan and Non-Plan expenditure. Plan spending is the Ministries’ spending outlined in the country’s 11th Five-Year Plan (see IBO 3/31/08), and Non-Plan spending is money that is not part of the Five-Year Plan, including interest payments and pension charges.

Under the latest budget proposal, the Ministry of Science and Technology will receive INR 7544.92 crore ($1.7 billion = INR 45.72= $1), an increase of 14.7% from the fiscal 2011 budget. Budgets of all three Ministry departments will increase.

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is expected to receive 3385 INR crore ($750.1 million) for fiscal year 2011–2012, a 13.3% increase and 45% of the Ministry of Science and Technology’s budget. Under the proposed budget, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will be issued 97% of the Department’s spending, a 12.6% increase. Of this amount, INR 2312.68 ($512.5 million) is for the National Laboratory scheme, which consists of 37 national laboratories and 38 field centers and aims to set objectives in areas such as affordable health care, sustainable energy and technology for industrial competitiveness.

The CSIR will also receive INR 10 crore ($2.2 million) for its Institute of Translational Research scheme to establish Innovation Complexes. The CSIR is proposing to create several translational research centers, known as Innovation Complexes, throughout the country.

Outside of the CSIR, the Department is slated to provide INR 13.00 crore ($2.9 million) in assistance to other scientific bodies, including INR 9.00 crore ($2.0 million), a decrease of 10.0%, to the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC). The NRDC develops, promotes and transfers major technologies for biotechnology, food processing, bulk drugs and pharmaceuticals.

Department of Science and Technology

The Ministry of Science and Technology plans to dedicate 36% of its budget, INR 2733.00 crore ($606.3 million), to its Department of Science and Technology. The Department supports R&D programs under the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) as part of its science and technology promotional activities. This year’s proposed SERC budget is estimated at INR 290.50 crore ($64.6 million), a decrease of 47.2%. The funding will provide equipment, instruments and facilities for academic institutions. The objectives of the SERC are to promote research in emerging and leading areas of science and engineering, to promote general research capabilities of the host institution and to encourage young scientists to take up challenging R&D activities.

The Department also houses India’s National Mission on Nano Science and Nano Technology (see IBO 4/30/06). The program is slated to receive INR 105.00 crore ($23.3 million) in fiscal 2012, an increase of 6.1%. This year’s priorities for the program include studies of free atomic and molecular clusters, nano-electronics and nano-photonics, nano-coatings, nano device–based sensors and diagnostics kits, controlled and targeted drug delivery systems, and nano-phosphor-based display devices.

The Drugs and Pharmaceutical Research scheme will receive INR 25 crore ($5.6 million) from the Department, the same amount it received in fiscal 2010–2011. The scheme supports R&D programs and sets up national facilities for furthering R&D activities and for strengthening work in defined areas of value to the Indian population by combining the expertise of publicly funded R&D institutions and the Indian pharmaceutical industry.

Department of Biotechnology

The Ministry of Science and Technology is set to increase the Department of Biotechnology’s budget 16.8% to INR 1426.92 crore ($317.2 million). The figure accounts for 19% of the Ministry’s overall budget. Twenty-nine percent of Department funding will go toward supporting R&D. As part of this funding, the Department has announced new priorities, many of which involve agriculture biotechnology research, including funding for a State Agriculture University to establish interdisciplinary translational research centers and for new programs involving wheat genome sequencing and cancer genomics. Other new programs include drug development for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. The funding will also create specialized virus-research centers to address viral biology, pathogenesis and biomarkers. A nationwide network of centers is proposed for the development of simple low-cost diagnostics for infectious and other diseases. The funding will also continue to support 14 autonomous R&D institutions and strengthen programs involving stem cells and bioengineering. The biotech facilities’ allotment of INR 36.00 crore ($7.9 million), a 33.3% increase, will support the creation of new facilities for testing candidate vaccines and biotherapeutics, as well as provide continuing support for existing facilities.

Funding will also go toward creating Centers of Excellence under the Program for Promotion of Excellence and Innovation, which is set to receive INR 54.0 crore ($11.9 million), a 27.1% increase. The program provides long-term support for both basic and translational innovative biotechnology research. The Department plans to establish 50 Centres of Excellence in Biotechnology nationwide. The Centers are expected to strengthen institutions’ research infrastructure, as well as to improve the faculties’ research capabilities. So far, 15 centers have been created, encompassing health care, agriculture, bioinformatics and basic research in biotechnology. Molecular Medicine Centers and a Cancer-Nanoscience Center will also be created.

Department of Pharmaceuticals

The estimated fiscal 2011–2012 budget for the Department of Pharmaceuticals is INR 213.00 crore ($47.2 million), a 36.4% increase from fiscal 2011 and 20.6% of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizer’s budget. The Department of Pharmaceuticals was created in 2008 under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to deal with issues relating to drugs and pharmaceuticals not assigned to other departments. The Department is responsible for the promotion and organization of basic, applied and other research in areas related to the pharmaceutical sector.

The Department’s budget for the National Institute of Pharmaceuticals Education and Research (NIPER) program for fiscal 2011–2012 is INR 132.31 crore ($29.4 million), an 85.7% increase. The Institute’s main objective is to further pharmaceutical education and research. The provision includes Non-Plan support for day-to-day expenditures, and Plan support for ongoing schemes, including establishing six new NIPERs. The proposed National Centre for Medical Devices, which will be based on the campus of the Ahmedabad NIPER, will function as the innovation center for medical device manufacturing. It would be India’s first specialized center for medical devices to cultivate R&D in the sector and will serve the research needs of the industry, promote indigenization of products and develop interdisciplinary academic programs.

Other Departments

The Department of Health and Family Welfare’s budget includes INR 50.29 ($11.1 million) for the Prevention of Food Adulteration program, a 43.2% increase. The program will support the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. A new Food Safety and Standards Act replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act in January. In addition to administering and enforcing the Act, the funds will provide administrative support, such as training, equipment and laboratory facilities, and provide consumer education. The FSSAI also intends to develop and implement a scheme for establishing food safety centers.

The Ministry of Coal has designated INR 10.62 crore ($2.3 million) to its R&D program, the main focus of which is the promotion of clean coal technology. The newly created National Clean Energy fund will fund research and innovative products in clean energy technology.

 Column Chart: Budgets for the Departments of India’s Ministry of Science and Technology

   Dept. of Sci. and Indus. Rsch. Dept. of Sci. and Tech. Dept. of Biotech

 FY2009–2010 2697.31    2038.3   906.56

 FY2010–2011 2988    2369   1222

 FY2011–2012 3385    2733   1426.92

 Selected Funding for India's Department of Biotechnology, FY2011–FY2012 

                                 Cr. Rupees

                                        ($US M) % Chg.

 Autonomous R&D Institutions             378.35($83.9) 14.6%

 Assistance to Other Scientific Bodies 

 Bioinformatics                       27.00($5.9) 22.7%

 Research and Development             418.90($92.9)  7.6%

 Grand Challenge Programs              59.00($13.1)  9.3%

 Biotech Facilities                       36.00($7.9) 33.3%

 Dept. of Biotechnology Total    1426.92($316.6) 16.7%

 Selected Funding for India's Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and Department of Science and Technology, FY2011–FY2012 

                              Cr. Rupees

                                     ($US M)          % Chg.

 Dept. of Sci. and Indus. Rsch. 3385.00($750.9) 13.3%

 National Labs                   2312.68($513.1) 10.9%

 Dept. of Sci. and Tech.          2733.00($606.3) 15.4%

 Autonomous Institutions            713.00($158.2) 21.1%

 Sci. and Eng. Research Council  290.50($64.4)   -47.2%

 Drugs and Pharma. Rsch.            25.00($5.5)    0%

 Nat'l Mission on Nano. Sci.           105.00($23.3)  6.1%

 Mega Facilities for Basic Rsch.   35.00($7.8) 16.7%