The Government of India is set to launch a pioneering initiative that will bring localized weather forecasts to Gram Panchayats across the country.
Panchayat Level Weather Forecast
- This initiative will be inaugurated by the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, in partnership with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- This development represents a crucial step in empowering rural communities and improving grassroots-level climate resilience, providing farmers and villagers with accurate, timely weather information.
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Indian Meteorological Department
- IMD is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences that is responsible for carrying out meteorological observations, weather forecasting, and seismology.
- Objective: The main objective of IMD is to make meteorological observations for India.
- It is also responsible for forecasting, naming, and distribution of warnings for tropical cyclones in the Northern Indian Ocean region of the world.
- IMD is also very important for its role as one of the six Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres of the World Meteorological Organization.
- Organisation Structure: The Director General of Meteorology heads IMD.
- There are six Regional Meteorological Centres located in Chennai, Guwahati, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, and New Delhi, each under a Deputy Director General.
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Implementation at Panchayat Level
- The Gram Panchayats will have access to daily 5-day weather forecasts and hourly updates using IMD’s expanded sensor network.
- This information will be disseminated through the Panchayati Raj digital platforms:
- e-GramSwaraj : for governance, project tracking, and resource management.
- Meri Panchayat app : to facilitate community engagement.
- Gram Manchitra: a spatial planning tool offering geospatial insights.
- Training workshop: The training will enable Panchayat representatives to leverage these tools effectively, promoting sustainable agriculture and enhancing rural disaster preparedness.
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Significance of Panchayat level weather Forecast
- With real-time weather information, Gram Panchayats can make well-informed decisions regarding agriculture, infrastructure planning, and disaster management.
- The initiative also includes SMS alerts for extreme weather conditions, helping rural communities protect lives, crops, and assets.
- This is a significant step in creating climate-resilient villages across India.
26 Oct 2024
