New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission, marking a significant milestone in India’s lunar exploration efforts. This new mission will build on the successes of Chandrayaan-1, 2, and 3, with a focus on developing and demonstrating the technologies required to return safely to Earth after landing on the Moon.
The Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to advance India’s capabilities in lunar exploration by not only landing on the Moon but also bringing back samples for analysis on Earth. This mission is a crucial step toward achieving the broader goal of a manned lunar landing by 2040. Key technologies to be demonstrated include docking and undocking, safe landing, and the return of lunar samples.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters that the government has allocated Rs 2,104 crore for the project, with a timeline of 36 months for its completion. The mission will utilize India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III-M1, which previously launched Chandrayaan-2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 22, 2019.
The mission includes launching of two separate spacecraft stacks in two missions using upgraded LVM3 rockets. The mission will land on the lunar surface, perform sample collection, and safely store them for return.
The Union Cabinet also approved the development of the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), marking India’s exploration efforts beyond the Moon and Mars.
ISRO will develop and launch the spacecraft, aiming to complete the Venus mission by March 2028. The government has allocated Rs 1,236 crore for this project, of which Rs 824 crore will be dedicated to the spacecraft. The mission’s goal is to enhance our understanding of Venus’ surface and subsurface, its atmospheric processes, and the influence of the Sun on Venus’ atmosphere.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also approved a number of other schemes, including the following.
Nutrient Based Subsidy Rates for Rabi Season 2024
The Union Cabinet approved the proposal from the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers to set the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for the Rabi Season 2024, which will run from October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. The tentative budgetary requirement for this period is approximately ₹24,475.53 crore.
Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan
It approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) schemes. This initiative aims to ensure remunerative prices for farmers and manage price volatility of essential commodities for consumers.
Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan to Enhance Tribal Development
Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, a major initiative aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities. The mission, with a total budget of ₹79,156 crore (Central Share: ₹56,333 crore and State Share: ₹22,823 crore), is designed to achieve saturation coverage in over 63,000 tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts.
‘Bio-RIDE’ Scheme to Propel Biotechnology Research and Development
The continuation and expansion of the Department of Biotechnology’s (DBT) umbrella schemes into a unified program named ‘Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development’ (Bio-RIDE). This new initiative will include an additional component focused on Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry.
National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality
Creation of the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR). This new center, established as a Section 8 Company under the Companies Act of 2013, will be based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and marks a significant step in the government’s push to advance the creators’ economy.