A Budget for building self-reliant and modern India

If we try to take a stock of the Union Budget 2022-23 on account of scientific viewpoints, the most important thing about this budget is that it has adopted a long-term approach rather than short-term one. While on one hand the focus has been on beautifying the cities, the emphasis has been laid on making the villages more advanced and well-equipped on the other.

Science and technology being the key to empowerment of people, we have to make it accessible to all. But in order to create a relation between aspirations and reality, we seek to answer five broad questions from the futuristic budget 2022-23, with scientific vision and startup incentives. How this year's budget will be helpful in building self-reliant as well as modern India? What is the meaning of promoting natural farming across the country? What is the intention behind starting tele-mental health centres? How is the vision of digital university going to change the nature of education? And how is 5G mobile service going to change the world of communication?

Before we specify precisely what the suitable answers of these questions are, let us focus on some of the major highlights or action-oriented announcements. As we know, on February 1, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the budget for the year 2022-23. Keeping in view the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the budget is focused on priorities like inclusive growth, digital technology and PM Gati Shakti.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has been allocated Rs 14,217 crore in the Union Budget 2022-23. Although, this year overall science and technology budget was less than the previous budget but from health to startups ecosystem, strong announcements have been made in several sectors. The ministry has three departments– Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). It is important to mention here that all these departments have played an important role in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. Rs 6,000 crore to the Department of Science and Technology, Rs 2,581 crore to the Department of Biotechnology and Rs 5,636 crore has been allocated to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

A separate budget of Rs 2,653.51 crore has been allocated to the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Giving a big boost to the deep ocean mission in the budget, an allocation of Rs 650 crore has been made in this item. This mission is focused on exploring the vast resources present in the ocean. In India's space programs, work is to be done on some big missions like Chandrayaan-3, Aditya L1 and Gaganyaan this year. Keeping this in mind, the central government has allocated Rs 13,700 crore this year to S Somnath-led ISRO.

Let us have a look at some important announcements related to science and technology in the general budget. Natural farming will be encouraged across the country; tele-mental health centers will be started across the country; digital university will be opened; RBI proposes to introduce 'digital currency' using block chain technology; spectrum for 5G mobile services to be auctioned in 2022; skilling program will be revamped. Digital e-portal for skilling, upskilling and reskilling to be launched for youth. 100 PM Gati Shakti terminals to be set up in the next three years; to promote start-ups, provision has been made for export promotion and domestic production promotion in this budget.

Responding to the budget, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that if someone explains the general budget of 2022-23 in one sentence, then it would be fair to say that "scientific vision with startup incentives, this is a futuristic budget.''