Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched ‘Mission Mausam’, an ambitious initiative by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), as the organization marked its 150th foundation day. Speaking at the event, PM Modi lauded IMD as a symbol of India’s scientific journey, reflecting the country’s progress in advanced science and technology over the years.
Highlighting the significance of the occasion, PM Modi announced the release of a special postage stamp and commemorative coin to celebrate IMD’s achievements. “In these 150 years, IMD has not only served crores of Indians but has also become a symbol of India’s scientific journey,” he remarked. The Prime Minister also praised the IMD for organizing the National Meteorological Olympiad, which saw thousands of students participating, further fueling their interest in meteorology.
The Prime Minister emphasized that IMD’s 150-year journey mirrors India’s advancements in science and technology. “These 150 years have not only been the journey of the country’s Weather Department but the journey of advanced science and technology in our country,” he said, underscoring how research and innovation in scientific institutions are central to the vision of New India.
PM Modi highlighted the significant strides made in IMD’s infrastructure and technology. “In the last 10 years, there has been an unprecedented expansion of the infrastructure and technology of IMD,” he noted, adding that the number of modern facilities such as Doppler weather radar, automatic weather stations, runway weather monitoring systems, and district-wise rainfall monitoring stations has increased manifold. He also pointed out how India’s space and digital technologies are benefiting meteorology, citing the country’s two meteorological observatories, Maitri and Bharati, located in Antarctica.
On the occasion, PM Modi introduced ‘Mission Mausam’, an initiative aimed at making India a climate-smart nation and reinforcing the country’s commitment to a sustainable future. “Mission Mausam is a symbol of India’s commitment towards a sustainable future and future readiness,” he said.
The Prime Minister also connected the foundation of IMD to the cultural significance of Makar Sankranti, celebrated on the same day. “IMD was founded on 15th January 1975, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. As a person from Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is my favorite festival. On this day, people of Gujarat go to their terraces to fly kites, and I too would do the same when I was in Gujarat,” PM Modi said, reflecting on his personal connection to the festival.
Alongside the launch of ‘Mission Mausam’, PM Modi also released a commemorative coin and the ‘Vision 2047’ document, outlining IMD’s goals for the next phase of its development. Union Minister Jitendra Singh, present at the event, commended IMD’s advancements, revealing that the accuracy of weather forecasts has improved by 50% over the past decade. He also noted that the number of radar networks has significantly increased from a handful to 39 under PM Modi’s leadership.
(With ANI inputs)
