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The Union Cabinet has given the green light to a Rs 4,797 crore research scheme aimed at bolstering and sustaining research momentum in the domains of ocean, atmospheric, and polar sciences, announced Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday (7 February).
As reported by Indian Express, the scheme encompasses five ongoing sub-schemes namely “Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS)”, “Ocean Services, Modelling Application, Resources and Technology (OSMART)”, “Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER)”, “Seismology and Geosciences (SAGE)” and “Research, Education, Training and Outreach (REACHOUT)”.
The PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI) will be an umbrella scheme spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences to help continue many of the ongoing research projects, said Rijiju in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
The Major Objectives Of The Prithvi Scheme Are:
1. Augmentation of long-term observations of the atmosphere, ocean, geosphere, cryosphere and solid earth.
2. Development of modelling systems for understanding and predicting weather, ocean and climate hazards and understanding the science of climate change.
3. Exploration polar and high seas regions of the Earth towards discovery of new phenomena and resources.
Describing PRITHVI as a sustained programme, M Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, emphasised that “it is a continuing programme. While earlier, research in all these key areas were being carried out under different sub-heads for which different budget allocations were to be made, but now all these have been amalgamated.”
In a separate development, Rijiju provided an update on the Rs 4,077 crore Deep Ocean Mission initiated by the ministry in 2021.
He said that extensive surveys and explorations have been conducted for metals such as cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese in the central Indian Ocean basin, with potential locations for hydrothermal activities and sulphide mineralisation identified along southwestern and central ridges.
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