M Ramesh

Feb 1, 2025 | thehindubusinessline.com | M Ramesh

Although the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention ‘space’ in her speech, the Budget has provided a substantial boost to the sector, with a 14.4 per cent hike in total allocations (over revised estimates for 2024-25). The ‘capital’ part of it has got a 30 per cent hike.

Feb 1, 2025 | thehindubusinessline.com | M Ramesh

The Budget 2025-26 makes an allocation of ₹20,000 crore, under ‘revenue expenditure’ for the PM Surya Garh Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY) -- a scheme that provides incentives for setting up small-scale rooftop solar plants on residential roofs.  This is a huge jump from the ₹6,250 crore allocation made in the Budget for 2024-25, which stood increased to ₹11,100 crore in the revised estimates for the year.

Feb 1, 2025 | thehindubusinessline.com | M Ramesh

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced several measures to strengthen higher education, including adding 10,000 medical seats in one year as part of 75,000 additional seats over the next five years. In her budget speech, she noted that there are 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (not counting IIT Zanzibar and IIT Abu Dhabi, run by IIT Madras and IIT Delhi, respectively). She said that the number of students passing through the 23 doubled from 65,000 to 1,35,000 in the past ten years.

Feb 1, 2025 | thehindubusinessline.com | M Ramesh

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech, has announced a ₹20,000-crore Nuclear Energy Mission for R&D into small reactors and reiterating the (new) target of 100 GW of installed nuclear power capacity by 2047.  The government wants to operationalise five small modular reactors by 2033. To enable private sector participation in SMRs, the government also intends to amend the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act.

Feb 1, 2025 | thehindubusinessline.com | M Ramesh

Noted Himalayan environment conservationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk today stressed on demand side management to tackle climate change, calling for redefining the very idea of development. He was speaking at Envision 2025, an energy conference organized here by the IIT Madras Research Park.  “When demands are going on unbridled, just tweaking the supply side will not help,” Wangchuk said.