Space department allocation up by 35 per cent

Bangalore, Mar 7 (UNI) The Indian Space Department has received an enhanced budget for 2006-07 to the tune of 35 per cent over last year's allocations.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had a busy schedute the current fiscal with as many as four launches planned besides the launching of INSAT 4B by an Ariane launch vehicle.

The domestic launches scheduled were Cartosat and Satellite recovery capsule using PSLV, INSAT 4C using GSLV, and another PSLV that would hurl into sun synchronous orbit an Italian satellite Possibly the third development flight of GSL using the indigenously-built cryogenic upper stage (GSLV-D3) would also take place during the current fiscal, ISRO sources told UNI.

The Budget Estimates for 2006-07 for Department of Space for the current fiscal was Rs 3610 crore consisting of a Plan component of Rs 3220 Crores and Non-Plan component of Rs 390 Crore. In 2005-06 the revised Budget estimates for the department was Rs 2675 Crore (Plan: Rs 2300 Crore + Non-Plan: Rs 375 crore).

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