**Summary:**
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) was established through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023 (25 of 2023), which came into force on February 5, 2024. The ANRF aims to provide strategic direction and support for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship across natural sciences, engineering and technology, environmental and earth sciences, health and agriculture, and the interface of science & technology with humanities and social sciences.
A key focus of the ANRF is encouraging private sector participation through industry-academia collaboration and translational research. The MAHA Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas initiative has identified Electric Vehicle (EV) Mobility as a priority area (MAHA-EV Mission), mandating participation from relevant industries, PSUs, and startups, with a requirement that industry partners contribute 10% of the project cost.
The government has approved the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme with a corpus of Rs. One lakh Crore to provide long-term financing at low or nil interest rates to stimulate private sector investment in RDI. The RDI Scheme aims to overcome funding constraints, provide growth risk capital to strategic sectors, facilitate innovation, promote technology adoption, and enhance competitiveness.
The Advanced Research Grant (ARG) program allows Principal Investigators (PIs) to submit proposals for the development of AI tools in physics, chemistry, and biology. Submitted proposals will be reviewed and considered by ANRF through its standard evaluation process.
This information was provided by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): Aims to provide high level strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of natural sciences.
Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023: The act that established the Anusandhan National Research Foundation.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Mobility: A key area identified by ANRF under its MAHA Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas initiative.
MAHA Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas: An initiative by ANRF, under which Electric Vehicle (EV) Mobility has been identified as a key area.
Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme: A scheme with a corpus of Rs. One lakh Crore, aiming to provide long-term financing to spur private sector investment in RDI.
Advanced Research Grant (ARG) programme: A program under which PIs are free to submit proposals for the development of AI tools in the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology.
Rajya Sabha: Council of States; the upper house of the Parliament of India.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space
Ministry of Science & Technology
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: ANUSANDHAN
NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Posted On: 31 JUL 2025 5:10PM by PIB Delhi
Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), established through the Anusandhan National Research
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Foundation Act, 2023 (25 of 2023) came into force on 5 February 2024. It aims to provide high level
strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of natural sciences including
mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, environmental and earth sciences, health and agriculture,
and scientific and technological interfaces of humanities and social sciences, to promote, monitor and provide
support as required for such research and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
The Government is actively encouraging private sector participation in research, development, and innovation
through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). ANRF’s strategic vision includes fostering
strong industry–academia collaboration, promoting translational research. Its programmes are designed to
support mission-driven, high-impact research with active participation from the private sector. In this
direction, ANRF has identified Electric Vehicle (EV) Mobility as a key area under its MAHA (Mission for
Advancement in High-impact Areas) initiative. To ensure effective industry engagement, the MAHA-EV
Mission mandates the participation of relevant industries, /PSUs/start-ups, and includes a provision requiring
10% of the project cost to be contributed by Industry partners.
The Government has approved the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme with a corpus of Rs.
One lakh Crore. RDI Scheme aims to provide long-term financing at low or nil interest rates to spur private
sector investment in RDI. The scheme has been designed to overcome the constraints and challenges in
funding of private sector and seeks to provide growth & risk capital to sunrise and strategic sectors to
facilitate innovation, promote adoption of technology and enhance competitiveness.
Under the Advanced Research Grant (ARG) programme, PIs are free to submit proposals for the development
of AI tools in the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology. Such proposals, if submitted, may be reviewed
and considered by ANRF as part of the standard evaluation process.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science
and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of
Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2150822)