THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A separate research and development budget tabled along with the annual budget 2023-24 was a novel initiative by Finance Minister K N Balagopal. The document earmarked Rs 3,482.44 crore, 0.31% of the GSDP, for research in twelve sectors.
“At present, neither the Union nor the state government presents a separate budget document on R&D. It is my hope that Kerala’s pioneering effort will be a trendsetter in knowledge and innovation-driven development and the building up of a vibrant innovation system in our county,” Balagopal said in the foreword.
The document presents the existing R and D scenario in the state, focus areas for the future and targeted spending to achieve “qualitative outcomes”. It also analyses the trends in expenditure at sub-national and national levels with comparison on GSDP and GDP.
The highest allocation in Balagopal’s R and D budget is for the education sector, Rs 1,611 crore. It was followed by the segment comprising medical, family welfare and sanitation, Rs 802.12 crore, agricultural research Rs 510.11 crore, and industrial research Rs 276.15 crore.
Quoting the statistics with the Union Department of Science and Technology, the report says Kerala’s absolute levels of R and D expenditure is lower than that of the neighbouring states. But the Gross Domestic Expenditure on R and D to GDP ratio of Kerala is the highest among the southern states in 2018-19. R and D outcomes are normally measured in terms of scientific publications and patents.
Patent applications from Kerala have been stagnating around 280 applications per year. As per the data with the GoI on 15 major states, Kerala is ranked tenth in the number of patents.