Mission Mausam Explained
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), established in 1875, will complete 150 years of service. To commemorate this milestone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Mission Mausam on January 14.
Objective of Mission Mausam
- Upgrade capabilities in forecasting, modelling, and dissemination.
- Enhance disaster management capabilities through advanced meteorology.
- Budget of Rs 2,000 crore for the first two years of implementation.
Impact Areas
- Improves weather surveillance and forecasting.
- Directly benefits sectors such as agriculture, aviation, defence, disaster management, tourism, and health.
Mission Mausam aims to offer comprehensive coverage of all weather and forecasting services in India.
Achievements and Comparisons
- Relates to Mission Monsoon (2012) for monsoon prediction improvements.
- Current IMD accuracy:
- Heatwaves: 97.99% accuracy for forecasts up to 24 hours in advance.
- Heavy rainfall: Approximately 80% accuracy.
Additional Functions of Mission Mausam
- Manage weather events such as enhancing or suppressing rainfall, hail, fog, and later lightning strikes.
- Strengthen research in cloud physics with a focus on weather modification.
- Establishing a first-of-its-kind cloud chamber at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune.
The cloud chamber will allow studies on seed particles forming cloud droplets or ice particles under controlled conditions, with convection properties essential for studying Indian monsoon clouds.
Oversight and Implementation
Mission Mausam will be overseen by three institutions funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences:
- India Meteorological Department (IMD)
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune
- National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, Noida
