NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched "Mission Mausam" on Tuesday, January 14. The initiative aims to leverage advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to strengthen weather prediction systems and tackle climate challenges more effectively.
What Mission Mausam Encompasses
The ambitious mission will:
Addressing the event, Prime Minister Modi said - We have launched the ‘Mission Mausam’ to make India climate-smart and weather-ready. Research and innovation are now integral to the temperament of New India.”
The Prime Minister also unveiled the IMD’s Vision-2047 document, emphasizing weather resilience and climate change adaptation. A commemorative coin was released to celebrate the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) 150th anniversary.
Key Objectives of Mission Mausam
The mission aims to:
Implementation Phases
The five-year mission will be rolled out in two phases:
Under the mission, a "cloud chamber" will be set up at the Indian Institute of Meteorology in Pune within 18 months. This laboratory will allow scientists to artificially create clouds to study their behavior under rising temperatures. The research will explore cloud seeding techniques to either enhance or suppress rainfall.
The project also aims to enhance air quality predictions in major metro cities by up to 10%. This is crucial for people living in urban areas, where air pollution can be a major health concern.
Mission Mausam also wants to provide weather predictions at the panchayat level, which means people in rural areas will have access to more accurate and localized weather forecasts. And with a lead time of 10-15 days, they'll have plenty of time to prepare for any severe weather events that might be headed their way. By addressing these challenges, Mission Mausam hopes to provide more accurate and reliable weather forecasts, which can help save lives and reduce the impact of severe weather events.