Lok Sabha Question No. 4222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: PRITHVI Scheme
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Shri Adhikari Soumendu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4222 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 26 TH  MARCH, 2025

## PRITHVI Scheme

## 4222.  SHRI ADHIKARI SOUMENDU:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  PRITHVI  scheme  provides  advanced  warning  services  for  natural disasters  like  cyclones, floods,  heat  waves  and  earthquakes  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether the scheme ensures precise weather forecasts for land and oceans to enhance safety  and  minimize  property  damage  in  adverse  weather  conditions  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (c) whether  the  scheme  encourages  the  development  of  technology  for  exploring  and sustainably harnessing oceanic resources and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) Yes Sir. The PRITHVI scheme provides advanced warning services for various natural disasters.  Following  are  the  efforts  of  MoES  institutions  in  delivering  the  required early warning services for natural disasters:
-  India  Meteorological  Department  (IMD)  is  dedicated  for  monitoring,  detection and forecasting of severe weather and climate including early warning for severe weather events such as cyclones, heavy rainfall, Heat wave, etc. IMD uses a suite of  quality  observations  from  satellites,  radars,  and  conventional  &  automatic weather stations for monitoring cyclones and prediction of weather. IMD follows a  seamless  forecasting  strategy  for  long  range  (for  a  season  as  a  whole)  to nowcast for severe weather events (up to 3 hrs).
-  National Centre for Seismology (NCS) monitors the earthquake activity through National Seismological Network (NSN) comprising of 166 permanent seismological  observatories  in  and  around  the  country  on  24x7  basis  and  this information  is  disseminated  after  the  occurrence  of  the  earthquake  to  all  nodal state and central disaster management authorities in the least possible time.
- (b) Yes Sir. IMD issues short to medium-range forecasts and warnings daily valid for up to  the  next  five  days  with  an  outlook  for  the  subsequent  two  days.  The  short  to medium-range forecast is followed by a very short-range forecast of severe weather up to three hours (nowcast) for all the districts and for about 1171 cities and towns at present.

Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) utilizes data from a well-maintained  ocean  observation  platform,  assimilating  it  into  ocean  models,  and provide  accurate forecasts,  which  enhances  the  safety  of  the  coastal  population  and minimizes property damage to the extent possible in adverse weather conditions.

- (c) Yes  Sir.  The  National  Institute  of  Ocean  Technology  (NIOT)  under  the  Ministry  of Earth  Sciences  is  involved  in  the  realization  of  deep-sea  manned  and  unmanned vehicles to explore deep-sea resources. An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) capable for exploring deep sea  upto 6000 meters is realized and deployed for ocean resource exploration activities in Indian Ocean.

Also,  an  indigenous  technology  Low-Temperature  Thermal  Desalination  (LTTD) technology has been developed and demonstrated in various islands of Lakshadweep Islands for desalination of sea water.

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