Lok Sabha Question No. 183 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-02-24
Subject: RIMES
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: ASADUDDIN OWAISI

- (a)
- (b)
- No Madam.
- Yes Madam.
- (c) Ministers and Ministerial representatives of Afghanistan, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Comoros, India, Lao PDR, Maldives, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka,  Tanzania,  Thailand,  Timor-Leste,  Uzbekistan,  and  Vietnam  adopted Regional Integrated Multi-hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) Master Plan 2016-2020 during the 2nd RIMES Ministerial Conference, held on 10 July 2015 in  New  Delhi.   The  Master  Plan  details  country-specific  capacity  building priorities of RIMES member and collaborating states for user-centered multihazard risk-based early warning, and for maximizing opportunities associated with climate variability and change.

The  Ministers  reiterated  their  continued  and  unwavering  commitment  to sustain RIMES delivery of core services and support for implementing priority programs  and  projects  under  the  Master  Plan.  In  support  of  their  National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and national scientific and technical  agencies  that generate  multi-hazard  warning  information, the Ministers  committed  to  fund  Plan  implementation  primarily  from  resources available within the countries, and secondly from donor assistance.

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 183

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2016

## RIMES

## 183.           SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Regional Integrated Multi-hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) proposes  to  double  the  corpus  from  present  $250000  to  $500000  over  the next 18 months;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  whether  RIMES  nations  including  India  are formulating a plan for 2016-20 for early warning to disaster;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether India is likely to get an effective trans-boundary mechanism to tackle the disasters arising out of climate hazards;
- (e)
- if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  whether  RIMES Conference was held recently; and
- (f) if so, the number of countries participated therein and main issues discussed in the meeting and future plan chalked out for disaster management among member countries and sharing of information?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

(SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

While accepting to serve as the Chair of the RIMES Executive Council, India announced its commitment to RIMES as a leading knowledge partner through its  institutions  -  Earth  System  Science  Organisation-Indian  National  Centre for  Ocean Information Services (ESSO-INCOIS), ESSO-Indian National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), and ESSO-India Meteorological Department (IMD) along with other global partners in building and implementation of various prioritized program initiatives. (d)-(f) Yes Madam. India under the aegis of the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre of World   Meteorological organization and as regional tsunami service provider,  trans-boundary  warnings  are  already  issued  for  Cyclones  and Tsunami covering all countries of the Indian Ocean . RIMES platform allows us to  strengthen  the  cooperation  across  the  multi-  hazards  so  as  to  address country specific requirement. During  the  2 nd   RIMES  Ministerial  Conference,  held  on  10 th   July  2015,  the

Ministers agreed to share regionally relevant meteorological and oceanographic data with partner institutions and member and collaborating states,  for  improving  forecast  systems  for  early  warning.   Presently,  RIMES has 12 signatory Member States.  Bhutan, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam  have  indicated  their  readiness  to  sign  the  RIMES  Cooperation Agreement; other 15 collaborating states are in various stages of Agreement consideration and approval.  Fiji has recently indicated interest to participate in RIMES programs.

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