Budget gives fillip to scientific research

March 16, 2012 | Business | Written by

New Delhi, March 16: Research and development (R&D) programmes in science and technology were in focus in the union budget presented Monday, with special emphasis on high computing performance system and seismological research.

The government has allocated Rs.656 crore for oceanographic research and Rs.400 crore for research and development in science and technology.

Overall, science and technology has been allocated Rs.2,873 crore compared to Rs.2,349 crore, a jump of 14 percent. The budget of ministry of earth sciences has increased six percent to Rs.1,668 crore.

The outlay for science and technology is divided under six major objectives: policy formulation, strengthening human capacities, strengthening institutional capacities, technology development programmes, partnerships and alliances and societal interventions of science and technology.

The department has planned to commission policy research and forecast studies in various knowledge domains related to science and technology. New mechanisms for public private partnerships and centre-state technology partnerships will be established.

The special areas of focus in the ministry of earth sciences include climate change research, high performance computing system and seismological research.

IANS