As per the latest available R&D statistics, the total R&D expenditure measured in terms of Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) as a percentage of GDP is 0.66%, 0.66% and 0.64% during 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively.

The Gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) in the country has been consistently increasing over the years and has more than doubled from Rs. 60,196.75 crore in 2010-11 to Rs. 127,380.96 crore in 2020-21, while, during the same period, GDP has increased more than 2.5 times from Rs. 77,84,115 crore to Rs. 1,98,00,914 crore. Therefore, India’s GERD as a percentage of GDP remained between 0.6% to 0.7% which is below global average and lower than countries like China, South Korea and US. Another factor contributing to this is the relatively low investment by India’s private sector in GERD, accounting for only around 36%, whereas in the aforementioned countries, private sector contributions is more than 70%.

The budgetary allocation and utilization under major DST funded schemes for scientific innovation and research institutions during 2024-25 is as under:

(Rs. in Crore)

S. No.	Scheme	2024-25
		Allocation	Utilisation
1	Science and Technology Institutional and Human Capacity Building	543.91	542.38
2	Research and Development	49.13	48.41
3	Innovation, Technology Development and Deployment	326.21	325.56
4	National Mission on Inter Disciplinary Cyber Physical System	815.00	715.97
5	National Quantum Mission	86.00	62.36
6	VigyanDhara	330.75	271.98
7	National Super Computing Mission	242.80	221.00
Total		2393.80	2187.66

 

To avoid parking of funds, the Government has introduced new fund flow mechanisms like Central Nodal Agency (CNA), Hybrid Treasury Single Account (Hybrid TSA). These transitions during the last three years led to some difficulties in disbursement of grants. However, the government has addressed these challenges through prompt measures such as release of advance grant for fellowships, setting up of helpline desks to address the queries and training the stakeholders about the new system. With the new mechanism now fully operational, the disbursement process has been streamlined, and grant are being released on time.

The government has been implementing several schemes/programmes to promote scientific research and improve funding mechanisms in State universities and higher education institutions by strengthening science & technology (S&T) infrastructure and research capabilities. Some of the key schemes/programmes include: Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology Infrastructure (FIST); Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIF); Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI) which can readily be accessible to Academia; Consolidation of University Research through Innovation and Excellence in Women Universities (CURIE) to support research infrastructure in women universities; Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE); ANRF-Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) Program to boost the research capability of those institutions where research is at a nascent stage but which have the potential to perform well, in a mentorship mode by pairing them with well-established top-tier research institutions in a hub and spoke framework; Department of Biotechnology-Boost to University Interdisciplinary Life Science Departments for Education and Research (DBT-BUILDER) programme. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), under its Extramural Research Scheme, provide support to research proposals from central/state universities and R&D institutions in frontier areas of science and technology.

This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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NKR/PSM

(Release ID: 2153547)