Lok Sabha Question No. 1425 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-31
Subject: Promotion of Blue Economy
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Shri Arun Bharti

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1425

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 31 ST  JULY, 2024

## PROMOTION OF BLUE ECONOMY

## 1425. SHRI ARUN BHARTI:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any development has been made in the field of Earth Sciences, especially in Atmospheric Observing Systems, Agrometeorological Advisory Service, etc. by the Government since 2014;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposed  to  undertake  deep  ocean  survey  for  deep  sea mining and to promote blue economy and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the primary objectives of country's Deep Ocean Mission;
- (d) the manner in which it aims to achieve the mission: and
- (e) the key scientific or technological advancements expected from India's Deep Ocean Mission?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Significant developments have been made to improve the monitoring and forecasting of  severe  weather  events  through  augmenting  the  observational  network  in  the country that includes the following since 2014:
-  39 Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) network in 2023 against 15 in 2014.
-  1208 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in 2023 against 675 in 2014.
-  1382 Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG) in 2023 against 1350 in 2014.
-  35 High Wind Speed Recorders in 2023 against 19 in 2014.
-  56 upper air observation systems in 2023 against 43 in 2014.
-  23  Manual  Pilot  Balloon  (PB)  stations  upgraded  to  GPS-based  stations,  while there was no GPS-based PB station in 2014.
-  138  Runway  Visual  Ranges  (RVR)  in  2023  against  20  in  the  year  2014  at different airports across the country.
-  107  Digital  Current  Weather  Systems  (DCWIS)  on  frangible  masts  at  airports across India in 2023 against 29 in 2014.
-  8 No. of Heliport Weather Observing Systems (HAWOS) have been installed at various  heliports  across  the  country  in  2023,  while  there  was  no  HAWOS  in 2014.
-  5896  District-wise  Rainfall  Monitoring  Scheme  (DRMS)  stations  in  2023 against 3955 in 2014.
- (b) Yes. The Ministry of Earth Sciences launched the Deep Ocean Mission in 2021 to explore deep-sea living & non-living resources to support the blue economy and for the sustainable harnessing of ocean resources. Objectives of the Mission are intended for  a  better  understanding  of  the  deep  sea  resources  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  thereby aiding efforts to expand the blue economy. The activities of Deep Ocean Mission will help the components of the blue economy, such as fisheries, tourism and maritime transport, renewable energy, aquaculture, seabed resources exploration activities and marine biotechnology. An extensive survey and exploration work is being carried out in  the  Central  Indian  Ocean  Basin  for  polymetallic  nodules  (PMN)  rich  in  Nickel, Cobalt, Copper and Manganese, etc. and in Central and South West Indian ridges for Polymetallic  sulphides  (PMS)  rich  in  Copper,  Zinc,  etc.  India  has  signed  contract with International Sea-bed Authority (ISA) for exploration of PMN at Central Indian Ocean Basin for an area of 75,000 sq, km and PMS in Central and South West Indian ridges for an area of 10,000 sq. Km.
- (c) The Deep Ocean Mission is a multi-ministerial, multi-disciplinary programme with an emphasis on the development of deep-sea technology that includes the development of a Manned Submersible rated for 6000-metre water depth along with technologies  for  deep-sea  mining,  exploration  of  deep-sea  mineral  resources  and marine  biodiversity,  development  of  ocean  climate  change  advisory  services,  deep sea  surveys  and  exploration,  and  capacity  building  in  Marine  Biology&  deep  sea technology with infrastructure development.
- (d) and (e)   The  major  scientific  &  technical  milestones  under  Deep  Ocean  Mission  i.e.  a Manned Submersible to carry three humans to a depth of 6000 meters as part of the Samudrayaan  mission  shall  be  designed  and  demonstrated;  Extensive  surveys  to identify new potential sites for deep-sea multi-mineral deposits at Central and South West  Indian  Ocean  ridges;  Demonstration  of  exploratory  mining  technology  for harvesting deep sea mineral resources, Deep-sea exploration of marine biodiversity; Development of ocean climate change advisory services; Acquisition of multidisciplinary research vessels for deep-sea surveys and exploration, and setting up of an Advanced Research Centre for Ocean Biology are progressing well.

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