The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has requested an extra allocation of INR 75 cr over and the existing budget for India's next lunar mission Chandrayaan-3, which is expected to be launched by November 2020. The space agency has requested 11% more funds than the existing proposed budget of INR 666 cr.
As per reports, the money has been requested under the provision of a supplementary budget for the financial year 2019-2020 for Chandrayaan-3. From the new funds, ISRO says it would use INR 60 for meeting spending towards machinery, equipment, paying salaries and other capital expenditure." The remaining INR 15 cr will be used under revenue expenditure.
ISRO said that it is expecting funds from the center soon. However, the process is yet to be finalised by the government, with the Chandrayaan-3 mission less than a year away.
In the budget of INR 666 Cr, ISRO said that it will be utilising INR 8.6 Cr for the proposed manned mission (human spaceflight), which is expected to be launched in 2022, INR 12 Cr for building small satellite launch vehicle, and INR 120 Cr for developing the launch pad. The remaining 525 Cr will be utilised research and development, assembling and testing of satellites among other projects at the UR Rao Satellite Centre and Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
