Lok Sabha Question No. 3464 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-07
Subject: Earth Science Research
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: RAHUL KASWAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3464 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2016

## EARTH SCIENCE RESEARCH

## 3464. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  measures  to  strengthen  earth science research in Indian Universities and think tank organisations and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the challenges being faced by the Government in the field of earth science research and documentation in the country;
- (c) the details of the inter-Government and international agencies which have collaboration  or  associations  with  the  Government  to  strengthen  and innovate the earth science research;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  Masters  level  university programmes in the core and diversified areas of the earth science studies in various universities in the country; and
- (e)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a) Yes Madam. The ministry is supporting the following academic programmes :
- 
- User Oriented M.Tech Programme in 'Ocean Technology' in IIT Madras.
-  M.Tech  &  Ph.D.  Programme  in Atmospheric-Oceanic Science and Technology  in IIT Delhi.
-  M.Sc. course in Ocean and Atmospheric Science at Centre for Earth & Space Sciences, University of Hyderabad.
- (b) The  challenges  include  the  development  of  required  infrastructure  with High Performance Computers (HPC), Aircrafts and research ships including polar research vessel, development of technology for the exploration and sustainable  harnessing  of  marine  living  and  non-living  resources  and development of skilled and trained manpower in Earth Sciences with the support of academic institutions in the country and abroad.
- (c) Under  bilateral  and  multilateral  international  agreements  with  various Government  agencies  in  the  field  of  Earth  system  science,  the  Ministry supports research proposals, joint observational campaigns, joint development work, exchange of resources personnel and training abroad, workshops  etc.  Projects  being  implemented  under  these  collaboration provide excellent opportunity to students/researchers to work and interact with foreign researchers, visit their labs etc.
-  Under  a  MoU  with  Belmont  Forum  countries,  Indian  Scientists  are supported for international collaborative research through joint calls in societal relevant global environmental change challenges.
-  Under an MoU with the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC), the research institutes are participating in joint observational campaigns for studying the various processes involved in understanding the monsoonal behavior. Under this MoU, research institutes are part of projects  funded  by  the  ministry  for  undertaking  research  in  Monsoon, Atmospheric Pollution and Human Health, Changing Water Cycle.
-  Under the MoU  with  Research  Council of Norway,  the research institutes are part of the various projects being funded by the ministry for undertaking research in Polar Research and Geo-Hazards.
-  The Ministry  has  launched  a  mission  mode  program  such  as  Monsoon Mission  wherein  various  national  and  international  agencies  work together  to  improve  prediction  of  the  monsoon  in  various  spatial  and temporal scales. In addition various flagship programs such as Metro Air Quality,  Climate  Change  Research  including  atmospheric  Chemistry wherein the researchers/scientists from universities and research institutes  working  in  these  projects    get  hands-on  experience  on  the sophisticated  equipment's  through  participation  in  field  campaigns, laboratory experiments and data analysis /modeling techniques etc.
-  India has signed an Implementing Agreement (IA) to become a member country  of  the  International  Energy  Agency  -  Ocean  Energy  Systems (IEA-OES). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) to establish and promote cooperation  between  in  the  field  of  marine  and  earth  science  and technology.
- (d) No Madam.
- (e) Does not Arise.

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