“Chandrayaan-3 has proved India’s capability for cost-effective Space missions”.
This was stated by Union Minister of State for Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, while speaking at an interactive meet of intellectuals, prominent citizens and media persons in Indore.
He said, India’s space missions are designed to be cost effective.
The Minister further elaborated saying, “The Russian moon mission, that was unsuccessful, cost Rs.16,000 crore, and our (Chandrayaan-3) mission cost just around Rs.600 crore. Consider, Hollywood films based on Moon & Space Missions cost over Rs.600 crore”.
We have learnt to compensate for cost through our skills, said Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, and Atomic Energy.
“Questions will arise, how? We made use of gravitational forces, the spacecraft made about 20 orbits of the earth, each rising in parabola, until it escaped and was captured in the Moon’s gravity and it made 70-80 revolutions of the moon before landing at the designated spot,” he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, in order to involve the private sector in R&D efforts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came out with the “Anusandhan National Research Foundation” Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha in the last session of Parliament, with a budget of Rs.50,000 crore over five years.
“When it is implemented fully, it will be a game-changer. We are planning a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) entity for which ₹36,000 Cr of the research funding is to come from the private sector, mostly industry whereas the Government will put ₹14,000 crore,” he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, under PM Modi India launched a unique initiative which even the US and other countries would envy.
“Two years ago, a provision was made that companies can earmark 10% of their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) budget on R&D, earlier this was not so,” he said.
Calling for collective synergy, Dr Jitendra Singh said, we have to get rid of this mutual scepticism between the public and private sector. We can never emerge successful in the geopolitical race by working in silos, the minister said.
“We have to take this off our minds that the Government will and should do everything, those countries that stand developed did not achieve it by depending solely on their government. If today NASA sends rockets for the US, the maximum contribution to such missions is made by private agencies and industry, ” he said.
Stating that no government can provide a Sarkari Naukri to every individual, the Minister said, a responsible government creates job opportunities like PM Modi has done.
“From 350 Startups (in 2014), we now have over one lakh Startups, Startups have sprung up even in Governance technology, which nobody could have imagined earlier. Under Mudra scheme, easy loans of Rs.10-20 lakh are made available to the youth, without mortgage; so, a whole environment has been created to trigger innovation,” he said.
