Lok Sabha Question No. 3776 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Promotion of Blue Economy
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Shri Vijay Baghel, Shri Harendra Singh Malik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION 3776 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 18 th  DECEMBER 2024

## PROMOTION OF BLUE ECONOMY

## †3776. SHRI HARENDRA SINGH MALIK: SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

Will the Minister of Earth Sciences be pleased to state:

- (a) the  initiatives  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  blue  economy  in  the country and the manner in which the 'National Monsoon Mission', 'Mission Mausam', and 'Deep Ocean Mission'are likely to contribute to the said objective, and
- (b) the details of objectives of the Deep Ocean Mission in the context of developing deep-sea resources in country and environment conservation?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences  launched  the  National  Monsoon  Mission,  Mission Mausam, and  Deep  Ocean  Mission  (DOM)  in  2012,  2024,  and  2021,  respectively.  Of these,  DOM  directly  caters  to  the  objective  of  promoting  the  blue  economy  in  the country.

The  National  Monsoon  Mission  aims  to  build  a  working  partnership  between  the academic  and  R&D  organisations,  both  national  and  international,  and  to  improve  the operational  monsoon  forecast  skill  over  the  country  and  develop  relevant  climate applications  for  agriculture,  hydrology,  and  power  sectors.  It  also  aims  to  develop  and improve  a  state-of-the-art  dynamical  modelling  framework  for  improving  prediction skills  of  (a)  Seasonal  and  Extended range  predictions and (b) Short and Medium range (up to two weeks) prediction.It is planned with an overall objective to improve monsoon prediction over India on all time scales. Under this Mission, the improved accuracy and skill  in  seasonal  prediction  (for  prediction of Indian  SW monsoon  seasonal  rainfall and other parameters) and for the extended range prediction (for prediction up to the next 4 weeks in advance) have been very useful for the farmers, policymakers, the public and other end-users. Proper prediction and warning of cycloneshave helped to save the loss of lives and property in the country.

Mission Mausam is envisaged to be a multi-faceted and transformative initiative to boost India's weather and climate-related science, research, and services. It will help to better equip  stakeholders,  including  citizens  and  last-mile  users,  in  tackling  extreme  weather events and the impacts of climate change. The mission's focus will include improving the observations by augmenting various observational networks for providing highly accurate and timely weather and climate information across temporal and spatial scales, including monsoon forecasts, alerts for air quality, extreme weather events and cyclones, weather interventions  for  managing  fog,  hail,  and  rain,  etc.,  capacity  building  and  generating awareness.

DOM is a multi-ministerial, multi-disciplinary programme that aims to explore deep-sea living  and  non-living  resources  to  support  the  blue  economy  and  for  the  sustainable harnessing of ocean resources.Objectives of DOM are intended for a better understanding of  the  deep-sea  resources  thereby  aiding  efforts  to  expand  the  blue  economy.  The activities  of  DOM  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.The technologies developed under DOM would  help  explore  the  oceans  and  possibly  harness  non-living  resources  like  energy, freshwater,  and  strategic  minerals.  The  advisories  to  be  developed  under  the  mission about  sea  level,  intensity  and  frequency  of  the  storms,  etc.,  would  be  useful  for  the societal and economic benefits of the Indian coastal regions. A better understanding of the deep  sea  living  and  non-living  resources  and  exploration  for  strategic  minerals  like Cobalt,  Nickel,  Copper  and  Manganese  are  expected  to  pave  the  way  for  the  future commercial exploitation  of these  resources.  Ocean Thermal  Energy  Conversion  studies are intended for offshore energy and freshwater generation.

- (b) Deep  Ocean  Mission  (DOM)  objectives  are  the  development  of  deep-sea  technologies that include the development of a Manned Submersible rated for 6000-metre water depth along  with  technologies  for  deep-sea  mining;  development  of  ocean  climate  change advisory  services;  exploration  of  deep-sea  mineral  resources  and  marine  biodiversity; deep sea surveys and exploration and acquisition of a multidisciplinary research vessel; and capacity building in marine biology and deep-sea technology with setting up of an Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology.

As part of DOM, 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,  Manganese, etc. and in Central and  South West  Indian  ridges  for Polymetallic sulphides  (PMS)  rich  in  Copper,  Zinc,  etc.  India  has  signed  a  contract  with  the International Sea-bed Authority for the exploration of PMN at the 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.Exploring deep-oceanic resources and developing technologies for their sustainable use would not result in over-exploitation of marine resources.

Further,  in  2021,  the  Union  Cabinet  approved  India  to  sign  the  Biodiversity  Beyond National  Jurisdiction  (BBNJ)  Agreement  or  the  'High  Seas'  Treaty.  BBNJ  is  an international  treaty  under  the  United  Nations  Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Sea (UNCLOS), which is aimed at ensuring the conservation  and  sustainable utilisation  of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. It sets precise mechanisms for the sustainable use of marine biological diversity through international cooperation  and  coordination.  It  follows  an  inclusive,  integrated,  ecosystem-centric approach based on the precautionary principle and promotes using traditional knowledge and  the  best  available  scientific  knowledge.  It  helps  minimise  impacts  on  the  marine environment through area-based management tools and establishes rules for conducting environmental  impact  assessments.  The  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences  will  spearhead  the country's implementation of the BBNJ Agreement.

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