Lok Sabha Question No. 1904 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-09
Subject: Scientific Work at RMC
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: DUSHYANT SINGH

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1904 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, March 09, 2016

## SCIENTIFIC WORK AT RMC

## 1904.   SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  scientific  work  is  not  being  conducted  efficiently  at Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Kolkata due to shortage of technical officials;
- (b) if  so, the details thereof and the shortage of officials during each of the last three years along with the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) the details of the surface laboratories (including both operational and nonoperational) established by RMC; and
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  restart  the  non-operating units?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) No Madam. The science and knowledge advancement based professional operational work is conducted at Regional Metrological Centre  (RMC)  Kolkata  irrespective  of  the  technical  manpower shortage.

During the last 3 years, 19 research papers have been published in Indian and foreign journals by the scientists of RMC, Kolkata.

- (b) Year  wise  details  of  shortage  of  officials  at  the  RMC,  Kolkata  as against the sanctioned strength during last three years are as under:

| Year    | Scientific Officials   | Scientific Officials   | Remarks                        |
|---------|------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------|
|         | Sanctioned             | Men in Position        |                                |
| 2012-13 | 531                    | 372                    | regular retirement of manpower |
| 2013-14 | 531                    | 353                    | -do-                           |
| 2014-15 | 531                    | 335                    | -do-                           |

Due to the recently carried out restructuring of Group-B cadre within Earth System Science Organization -India Meteorological Department (ESSO-IMD) the detailed manpower strength at Kolkata will be as per the following:

|   Scient ists |   Scientifi c Officer - III |   Scienti fic Officer -II |   Scienti fic Officer -I |   Assistan t Meteorol ogist -I |   Assistan t Meteoro logist -II |   Scientifi c Assistan t |
|---------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|            44 |                           3 |                         9 |                       24 |                             62 |                             123 |                      286 |

Recently at all India level, induction of 310 Scientific Assistants was made and request for induction of additional 502 Scientific Assistants is placed with the Staff Selection Commission.

(c)-(d) RMC Kolkata has no surface laboratories, but have several surface observatories as per the details given below:

|   S. No. | Region      |   No. of Full time Surface Observato ries Establishe d |   No. of Full time Surface Observatorie s Functional |   No. of Part time Surface Observat ories Establish ed |   No. of Part time Surface Observat ories Function al |
|----------|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | West Bengal |                                                     14 |                                                   14 |                                                     13 |                                                    13 |
|        2 | Bihar       |                                                      4 |                                                    4 |                                                      8 |                                                     8 |
|        3 | Orissa      |                                                     10 |                                                   10 |                                                     12 |                                                    12 |
|        4 | Jharkhand   |                                                      3 |                                                    3 |                                                      2 |                                                     2 |
|        5 | Sikkim      |                                                      2 |                                                    2 |                                                      3 |                                                     3 |
|        6 | Andaman     |                                                      3 |                                                    3 |                                                      3 |                                                     3 |

Regional Instrument Maintenance Centre (RIMC) has been established at Kolkata with two more Field Maintenance Unit (FMU) at  Jalpaiguri  and  Asansol  respectively  for  undertaking  observing system sustenance related activities.

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