Lok Sabha Question No. 918 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-07
Subject: Weather Monitoring System
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Ranjeeta Koli, Balak Nath, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Manoj Rajoria

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  918

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 07 TH  FEBRUARY, 2023

## Weather Monitoring System

†918. SHRIMATI  RANJEETA KOLI: SHRI BALAK NATH: SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI: DR. MANOJ RAJORIA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  using  weather  monitoring  to  assist  the  farmers  in  the country so that they can improve their agricultural production and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  identify  the  risk  factors  in  the agriculture sector using modern information technology in order to provide information to the farmers  of  the  country  at  the  beginning  of  the  seasons  and  if  so,  the  details  of  the capabilities of the India Meteorological Department to meet the said challenges;
- (c) whether the Government has introduced any scheme to ensure that farmers living in rural areas of the country get timely information in this regard and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)        the  details  regarding  the  steps  taken  for  modernization  and  development  of equipments for accurate and specific information dissemination?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ िष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a):  Yes,  Sir.  Weather  monitoring  system  is  used  to  help  the  farmers  in  making  better agricultural decisions like carrying out timely sowing of crops according to weather forecast. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is undertaking a project called 'Gramin Krishi Mausam  Seva  (GKMS)'  in  collaboration  with  ICAR  institutes  and  State  Agricultural Universities to provide farmers with weather based agro advisory services. Advisory is given to  the  farmers  for  undertaking  efficient  management  practices  in  crops  for  improving  the

O.I.H.

yield,  enhancing  the  income  of  farmers,  and  reducing  the  losses  due  to  weather  in agriculture.

(b)  to  (d):  To  ascertain  the  risk  factor,  IMD  also  monitors  rainfall  situation  &  weather aberrations and issues alerts & warnings to the farmers time to time under GKMS scheme. SMS-based alerts and warnings 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.

By making use of modern technology for the Agromet Advisories are disseminated to the farmers through multichannel dissemination system  like print and  electronic media, Doordarshan, radio, internet etc. including SMS using mobile phones through Kisan Portal and  also  through  private  companies  under  Public  Private  Partnership  (PPP)  mode. Presently, SMS advisories are being sent during extreme weather events like cyclone, deep depression etc. through Kisan Portal.

With  the  advancement  in  information technology,  farmers access  the  weather  information including alerts and related agromet advisories specific to their districts through the mobile App viz., 'Meghdoot' launched by Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. These weather  details  are  also  accessible  by  farmers  through  another  App  'Kisan  Suvidha', launched  by  Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare.  Also,  a  few  Agromet  Field  Units (AMFUs)  have  developed  mobile  Apps  to  facilitate  quick dissemination  of  agromet advisories to the farmers of their region.

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