Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Agro-Automatic Weather Stations provide exact weather forecast to the people, especially the farmers
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that India Meteorological Department (IMD) has undertaken installation of Agro-Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) to provide exact weather forecast to the people, especially the farmers. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today, he said, the installation was done at District Agromet Units (DAMUs) located in the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) network. The Minister said, Agro-AWS is being installed at 200 DAMUs to augment block level Agromet Advisory Services (AAS) under Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) scheme.
Weather-based operational AAS viz. GKMS scheme, rendered by IMD jointly with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agricultural Universities, is a step towards weather-based crop and livestock management strategies and operations for the benefit of farming community in the country. Under the scheme, medium range weather forecast at district and block level is generated and based on the forecast, Agromet Advisories are prepared and communicated by the Agromet Field Units (AMFUs) co-located with State Agricultural Universities, and DAMUs at KVKs to the farmers on every Tuesday and Friday.
These agromet advisories help farmers to take decision on day-to-day agricultural operations, which can further optimize the application of input resources at farm level during deficient rainfall situation and extreme weather events to reduce monetary loss and maximize crop yield.
IMD also monitors rainfall situation & weather aberrations and issues alerts & warnings to the farmers from time to time under GKMS scheme. SMS-based alerts and warning for extreme weather events along with suitable remedial measures are issued to take timely operations by the farmers. Such alerts and warnings are also shared with State Department of Agriculture for the effective management of calamity.
Agromet Advisories are communicated to the farmers through multichannel dissemination system like print and electronic media, Door Darshan, radio, internet etc. including SMS using mobile phones through Kisan Portal launched by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and also through private companies under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. At present, 43.37 million farmers in the country receive the Agromet Advisories through SMS directly. KVKs of ICAR have also given link to the respective district level advisory in their web portal.
A mobile App viz., ‘Meghdoot’ has also been launched by Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, to help the farmers to get the weather information including alerts and related agromet advisories specific to their districts.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Deep Ocean Mission will be implemented by Ministry of Earth Sciences at a total budget of Rs. 4077 Crore for 5 years
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the Government has approved Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) to be implemented by Ministry of Earth Sciences at a total budget of Rs. 4077 Cr for 5 years.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today, The Minister said, the Deep Ocean Mission is a multi-ministerial, multi-disciplinary programme with emphasis on development of deep-sea technology that includes development of manned Submersible rated for 6000 metre water depth along with technologies for deep sea mining, exploration of deep-sea mineral resources and marine biodiversity, acquisition of a research vessel for ocean exploration, deep sea observations, and capacity building in Marine Biology.
It is planned to develop a manned submersible to carry 3 people to a depth of 6000 metres in the ocean with suit of scientific sensors and tools. All the components of the mission will commence in 2021.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Government of India allocated science budget for COVID-19 related research
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Government of India allocated science budget for COVID-19 related research. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today, the Minister said that DBT and its Public Sector Undertaking, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), have allocated an amount of appx. Rs 1300 Crore for COVID-19 Research and Product Development.
Under the COVID-19 Research Consortium as a part of the comprehensive efforts to facilitate development of indigenous research solutions to tackle COVID-19, 107 projects were supported in thematic areas of COVID-19 vaccines (17), diagnostics (45), therapeutics (22) and biomedical interventions (23).
To advance biomedical research DBT has supported five COVID-19 biorepositories. Further, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortium (INSACOG), a Consortium of 28 regional sequencing labs, was launched, to ascertain the status of new variants of SARS-CoV-2. “Mission COVID Suraksha – The Indian COVID-19 vaccine development Mission” is being implemented at a total cost of Rs. 900 Cr. The Mission is supporting the development of COVID-19 vaccine candidates (05), facilities for animal challenge studies (03), facilities for immunogenicity assays (03), clinical trial sites (19). Additionally, facility enhancement of Bharat Biotech and 3 Public Sector Undertakings to support augmented production of Covaxin, is also being supported under the Mission.
Department of Science and Technology (DST) earmarked an amount of approximately Rs 200 Cr. for COVID-19 related research for implementation through its different programmes, Autonomous Institutions and statutory bodies like Science and Engineering Research Board and Technology Development Board.Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has allocated Rs.10444.39 lakhs from its Government budgetary support and internal resources for implementing projects related to COVID-19 related research. Department of Biotechnology (DBT), supported COVID-19 related research activities under the umbrella schemes of “Biotechnology Research and Development” and “Industrial and Entrepreneurship Development”.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Government is promoting Science and Technology (S&T) with emphasis on emerging areas and their application for the development and support to the weaker sections of society
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the Government is promoting Science and Technology (S&T) with emphasis on emerging areas and their application for the development and support to the weaker sections of society through various Schemes and Programmes being implemented by the Ministry of Science & Technology through Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
In a statement laid on the table of the Rajya Sabha today in reply to a question pertaining to “Mission Innovation”, the Minister said, Department of Biotechnology has supported 64 projects in last 5 years and nearly 39,000 rural, SC/ST and women population including youth have been benefitted through the implementation of the projects in agriculture and allied sectors. Ministry is also engaged in focused translational research in emerging disciplines to make the technologies affordable and accessible to the weaker sections of the society. Some of the focused emerging areas are Clean Energy, Drug Development and Diagnostics, Nanotechnology, Vaccine research and few others.
DBT has also launched a Special Program on Bioresource Technology Clusters. 9 Clusters have been established so far. It is also implementing a scientists-farmers partnership scheme named as Biotech-Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech-KISAN), Under this programme, so far 36 Biotech-KISAN Hubs have been established covering all 15 agro-climatic zones in the country. The activities of the programme have been implemented in 112 Aspirational Districts and have benefitted over 2,00,000 farmers directly or indirectly.
The Mission Innovation is a global initiative of 22 countries and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union) catalysing investment in research, development and demonstration to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible for all. Mission Innovation was launched during 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in November 2015, in presence of Hon’ble Prime Minister, India along with world leaders. India has played pivotal role in Mission Innovation programs, by participating in various areas of Clean Energy Innovation Challenges through collaborative projects and also supporting start-ups at their early stage of innovations.
Building on success of last five years joint efforts, India along with other MI members has also agreed to continue its commitment for phase 2.0 for another 5 years through the Missions and Platforms for translating knowledge into deployable solutions.
Funds Allocated, released and utilized under Mission Innovation during each of the last three years-
