Budget 2013: TISS Guwahati, AMU get Rs 100 cr each

Recognising the contributions made by the centres of excellence to the country, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today allocated Rs 100 crore each to some of these institutions. “Continuing the tradition of supporting institutions of excellence, I propose to make a grant of Rs 100 crore each to Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh campus, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati campus and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach),” Chidambaram said.[caption id=“attachment_643557” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Finance Minister P Chidambaram (L) Minister of State for Finance, SS Palanimanickam. Image courtesy PIB[/caption] The finance minister also focused on the need of investing more in science and technology. “Despite our constraints, we must find resources for science and technology and for space, atomic energy etc. I propose to allocate Rs 6,275 crore to the Ministry of Science & Technology; Rs 5,615 crore to the Department of Space; and Rs 5,880 crore to the Department of Atomic Energy,” Chidambaram said. Calling these hikes “substantial enhancements”, he said, “While we extol the virtues of science and technology (S&T), I think we do not pay enough attention to science and technology for the common man. With the help of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Principal Scientific Adviser to the government, I have identified a few amazing S&T innovations. “I propose to set apart Rs 200 crore to fund organisations that will scale up and make these products available to the people. I propose to ask the National Innovation Council to formulate a scheme for the management and application of the fund.”