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The government is targeting the disbursement of around Rs 500 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme by September as it steps up implementation of the flagship initiative aimed at boosting private sector-led research and innovation, Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, Technology Development Board (TDB), said.
Speaking to ANI on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 'Research, Development and Innovation Fund (RDIF), Industry Outreach Program organised by FICCI, Pathak said the scheme, announced in the Union Budget and launched on November 3, 2025, has been designed to support startups, MSMEs and established companies over the next six to seven years. He said the government has been conducting outreach programmes, including events with industry bodies such as FICCI and several online interactions, to address apprehensions among potential applicants and increase awareness about the scheme. "We expect the programme to pick up further in the coming months as more platforms come on board," he said. Pathak said the scheme is not sector-specific at present and is open to projects across the priority sectors identified by the government. According to him, the scheme covers five broad sectors, including deep-tech, biotechnology and AI-based technologies, along with their sub-sectors. "We have already disbursed around Rs 50 crore to a company in Bengaluru, and our target is to achieve around Rs 500 crore of disbursement by September," he said. He said the government has kept the scheme sector-agnostic to ensure that eligible research and development projects from any of the identified sectors receive financial support. Pathak said strengthening deep-tech capabilities would be crucial for achieving the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047, adding that the Rs 1 lakh crore RDI Scheme would serve as a milestone in building a stronger innovation ecosystem in the country. He also said the scheme would support research and development projects in areas such as critical minerals, reiterating that it is designed to fund eligible projects across all identified priority sectors. (ANI)
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