Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 12 : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences; and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh today visited the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and reviewed the Web-GIS based latest “Multi-Hazard Early Warning Decision Support System” (DSS) developed in-house by IMD, thus saving Rs 250 cr incurred in procuring the same from a foreign source..
The Minister appreciated the remarkable progress made by the Department towards developing indigenous, technology-driven, and citizen-centric weather forecasting systems that strengthen disaster preparedness and enhance public safety across the country. The Minister commended the DSS for enabling an estimated cost saving of Rs 250 crore by eliminating dependency on foreign vendors and avoiding an annual maintenance cost of Rs 5.5 crore, thereby promoting self-reliance under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also reviewed “Mausamgram” (Har Har Mausam, Har Ghar Mausam) a unique citizen-focused platform providing hyperlocal, location-specific weather forecasts down to the village level. The system delivers hourly forecasts for the next 36 hours, three-hourly forecasts for the next five days, and six-hourly forecasts for up to ten days. Citizens can conveniently access weather information through PIN code, location name, or by selecting their state, district, block, and gram panchayat. Available in all official Indian languages, “Mausamgram” ensures that users across India receive accurate and timely weather updates relevant to their locality.
The IMD has fully re-engineered its forecast and warning generation process, enabling real-time alerts and significant advancements in forecasting capabilities – increasing the lead period from 5 to 7 days, reducing forecast preparation time by about 3 hours, and improving accuracy by 15-20%.
Interacting with IMD officials, Dr. Jitendra Singh suggested incorporating AI-driven mechanisms into “Mausamgram” to make it even more user-friendly and accessible. He also emphasized the need to further develop the Multi-Hazard Early Warning System to ensure that citizens receive clear, actionable alerts that help prevent disasters and provide adequate time for preparedness and safety.
The Minister congratulated the IMD team for winning the National Award for e-Governance 2025 during the 28th National Conference on e-Governance held at Visakhapatnam, recognizing its exemplary efforts in leveraging digital technology for public service delivery through the Multi-Hazard Early Warning DSS. He also lauded the Department for its achievements under the Special Swachhata Program, including the disposal of old files and e-waste that generated Rs 30 lakh in revenue and cleared 600 square meters of office space.
Earlier, the Minister participated in the Special Swachhata Program 5.0 organized by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its New Delhi headquarter premises “Mausam Bhavan”.
As part of the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative, Dr. Jitendra Singh planted a sapling within the IMD premises and felicitated 50 “Safai for their dedicated contribution to cleanliness and maintenance activities.
The ongoing implementation of Mission Mausam, which includes installation and commissioning of advanced meteorological instruments, will significantly enhance IMD’s forecasting capabilities by 2030, enabling severe weather hazard forecasting at a 5×5 km scale, dynamic impact-based forecasting, and risk-based early warnings for all. The initiative envisions last-mile connectivity to ensure early warnings reach every household by 2030, achieving the vision of “Har Har Mausam, Har Ghar Mausam.”
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