The cabinet has approved a budget of 20 billion rupees for the ‘Mission Weather’ initiative aimed at enhancing weather forecasting capabilities.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) aspires not only to observe weather patterns but also to exert control over them. The government’s ambitious initiative, ‘Mission Mausam,’ with a budget of Rs 2,000 crore, seeks to investigate and analyze cloud formations, thereby enabling the modification of weather systems.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Cabinet approved the “Mission Mausam” on Wednesday. This initiative aims to enhance India’s capacity to predict and address extreme weather events and the impacts of climate change. With a budget of ₹2,000 crores allocated for a duration of two years, the mission will primarily be implemented by three key institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences: the India Meteorological Department, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting. These institutions will receive support from other entities within the Ministry of Earth Sciences, including the Indian National Ocean Information Centre, the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, and the National Institute of Ocean Technology.
Weather Forecasting Capabilities..
The mission will focus on enhancing observation and understanding to provide highly accurate and timely weather and climate information across various scales of time and space. This includes information on monsoons, air quality, extreme weather events, cyclones, as well as the management of fog, hail, and rainfall through weather interventions. The Central Cabinet stated that key components of the “Mission Mausam” will involve the deployment of next-generation radar and satellite systems equipped with advanced sensors, high-performance supercomputers, the development of sophisticated Earth system models, and a GIS-based automated decision support system for real-time data sharing. This mission is expected to benefit numerous sectors, including agriculture, disaster management, defense, aviation, energy, water resources, and tourism. It will also enhance decision-making in areas such as urban planning, transportation, and environmental monitoring.
The Union Cabinet stated that a multifaceted and transformative initiative will significantly enhance India’s meteorological and climate-related science, research, and services.
