PARLIAMENT QUESTION: PRITHVI VIGYAN SCHEME

2026-02-11 Information

The implementation of the Prithvi Vigyan (PRITHVI) Scheme has led to significant strengthening of long-term Earth observation networks including atmospheric, oceanic, cryospheric, geophysical systems along with the advances in numerical modelling and data assimilation capabilities.

Under the PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI) Scheme, new observational assets have been deployed and upgraded across diverse geographies and domains. These include:

Measurable improvements have been achieved across weather, climate, ocean, seismic, and disaster forecast services provided to states and the concerned ministries. Forecast accuracy for severe weather events has improved by 40% in recent decades, with one-day-ahead heavy rainfall warnings during the 2025 monsoon reaching 85% accuracy compared to 77% in 2020. Cold wave forecasts showed up to 65% gains in accuracy, while thunderstorm and lightning predictions improved by 53%. Cyclone forecasts demonstrated better track, intensity, and landfall predictions, and heatwave forecasts gained two extra days of lead time with the same accuracy as earlier shorter forecasts. Ocean services strengthened through the optimal ocean observing network, unified ocean modelling framework for operational ocean prediction, sea level projection, and ocean re-analysis to build a Digital Twin of the Ocean that can be effectively used for disaster prediction. The sea level rise, extreme sea levels and tidal inundations generated from climate change scenarios are used to assess the impact along the coastal zones. Seismology services advanced with a denser national network, enabling detection of earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 and above, and completion of seismic microzonation for 12 cities, for risk mitigation.

A total of 9342 crore SMS has been sent since August 2021 and during recent cyclone “MonTha”, a total of 77.64 crore SMS sent to people. All these improvements have led to significant improvement in forecast accuracy of severe weather events and also significant reduction in death toll. For example, due to cyclones, around 7000 people lost their lives in 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone while it has been reduced to less than 100 over entire region from impact of tropical cyclones during recent years. Accurate forecast of 1 cyclone saves around 1100 crore rupees in terms of expenditure towards payment of ex-gratia to kins of dead, cost towards evacuation and savings to various sectors e,g Power, Marine, Aviation, Railways, etc. Similarly, heat wave related losses of lives have been reduced in recent years.

The outputs of the PRITHVI scheme are the services provided covering all the five components of earth system namely atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, cryosphere and biosphere that improve the understating of the Earth System Sciences. These services include weather forecasts (both on land and in the oceans) and warnings for various natural disasters like tropical cyclones, storm surge, floods, heat waves, thunderstorm and lightning; alerts for Tsunamis and monitoring of earthquakes, etc.

To improve India’s disaster preparedness, agriculture and water resource management, the Government has fully organized an institutional mechanism for strengthening the observational network and adopting new techniques and technology to integrate and assimilate all types of data through all computational and modelling supports for generating forecasts and warnings at a more granular scale of various severe weather events affecting the region.

Ministry through the India Meteorological Department (IMD) follows necessary steps and action in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Centre of Development of Telematics (C-DOT) for the dissemination and communication of the warnings. As per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), IMD is generating Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) alerts using SACHET platform for severe weather events like Heavy Rainfall, Cyclone, Lightning, Thunderstorm, Dust storm etc. These alerts are disseminated by State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to geo targeted users via SMS. These alerts are also disseminated through SACHET website and SACHET mobile app. IMD’s CAP feeds are also disseminated to Global Multi-Hazard Alert System (GMAS), Google, AccuWeather and Apple.

Bharat Sarkar has launched the Gram Panchayat Level Weather Forecasting (GPLWF) initiative recently. IMD, in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), launched GPLWF for nearly all Gram Panchayats in India on 24th October 2024. These forecasts are accessible on digital platforms such as e-Gramswaraj (https://egramswaraj.gov.in/), the Meri panchayat app, e-Manchitra of MoPR, and Mausamgram of IMD (https://mausamgram.imd.gov.in/).

State agencies (Central Water Commission, State Irrigation Departments, SDMAs, Water Resource Departments, Agriculture & Water Boards, Canal & Command Area Authorities and Inter-State Water Boards) use PRITHVI outputs for water resource management by integrating forecasts into reservoir operations, flood and drought preparedness, and irrigation planning. Reservoir authorities regulate releases based on inflow predictions, while flood-prone regions receive early warnings for timely action. Seasonal outlooks guide groundwater recharge and water rationing, and irrigation departments schedule canal releases to optimize distribution. Basin-level forecasts also support inter-state water sharing, making PRITHVI a key tool for efficient and resilient water management.

Annexure I

Details of the Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) in Maharashtra

S.No

State

Location

Maharashtra

Mumbai

Maharashtra

Nagpur

Maharashtra

IITM Solapur

Maharashtra

Veravali

Maharashtra

Mumbai, Juhu (IITM*)

Maharashtra

Mumbai, Panvel (IITM)

Maharashtra

Mumbai, Kalyan, Dombivali (IITM)

Maharashtra

Mumbai, Vasai, Virar (IITM)

Maharashtra

Mahabaleshwar (IITM)

*Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune

Details of Seismic observatories in Maharashtra

S N

Station

Latitude (^oN)

Longitude (^oE)

Date of Installation

Date of Upgradation /Modernisation

Akola

20.7017

77.0146

25.04.1983

19.11.2015

Karad

17.3077

74.1835

01.01.1970

21.11.2015

Latur

18.4104

76.5333

20.12.1993

24.11.2015

Mumbai

18.8975

72.8127

01.01.1899

20.10.2015

Nagpur

21.1699

79.0509

08.12.1988

14.06.2016

Pune

18.5300

73.8490

01.01.1949

21.12.2007

Solapur

17.6703

75.9229

11.07.2021

Hingoli

19.6542

77.0943

14.07.2021

Nashik

20.0299

73.7983

18.07.2021

Palghar

20.0348

72.9133

22.07.2021

Taliye

17.3419

73.7829

04.01.2022

Govare

17.3468

73.7379

21.12.2021

Panderpani

17.2692

73.7623

06-02-2024

Pathurpunj

17.3011

73.6991

06-02-2024

Atoli

17.2898

73.7686

06-02-2024

This information was submitted by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences and Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh in Lok Sabha on 11th February 2026.

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