The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has gone on a disbursement spree during the last week of the just ended financial year 2005-'06 to ensure that the entire amount allocated towards Pharmaceutical Research and Development Support Fund (PRDSF) get to the eligible ones on time.

By March 31, DST is known to have cleared 14 industry loans and supported 17 collaborative research projects and institutional support programmes. The institutional assistance is meant to create national facilities to aid drug research. The current allotment, which comes to a total of Rs 114.5 crore is the biggest ever government funding towards pharmaceutical R&D. The details of the individual companies who have been benefited out of the sanctions are yet to be clear.

The full utilization of the PRDSF is a rare feat for DST if one considers the fact that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) clearance for dissolution of the Rs 150-crore corpus funds towards annual allocation came only a few weeks ago. What really helped was the preparedness of DST to face the last minute rush. It should be noted that in spite of the uncertainty that prevailed with regard to the allocation of the funds, DST had been inviting applications for both industry loans as well as collaborative research projects through out the year. The expert committee formed to scrutinize the applications was also having regular meetings, thereby keeping all eligible applications ready for clearance. Once the amount got cleared, DST could therefore utilize the entire annual allocation without further delay.