Various Programmes of Ministry of Earth Sciences – Government of India

Various Schemes of the Ministry of Earth Sciences are as follows:

Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modeling and Science (O-STORMS)

This scheme encompasses various schemes of the Ocean sector such as Ocean Observational Networks, Ocean Information Services, Ocean Surveys, Ocean Research Vessels, Development of Ocean technology etc.  as follows:

• Sustaining and strengthening a suite of Ocean Observational Networksfor acquisition of time-series data from the seas around India. This is useful for regular monitoring, validating satellite data and important input for Ocean Atmospheric Models. They help in improved understanding of ocean dynamic, climate variability, ocean state forecast, sea level variations, ocean flux studies, etc.
• Provide a suite of Ocean Information Services, assessment of Marine Living Resources, periodical monitoring of health of the coastal water of India, Management of Coastal Marine Area, Operational Tsunami Warning System on 24X7 basis for issue of bulletins for India and to the countries of the Indian Ocean Region,
• Conducting Ocean surveys for harnessing the marine non-living resources in a sustainable way, available in EEZ and deep sea region of the Indian Ocean. These include gas hydrates, poly metallic nodules, hydrothermal sulfide minerals, cobalt crusts which contain valuable noble metals available along the mid oceanic regions of the Indian Ocean.
• Acquisition and operation and maintenance of Ocean Research Vesselsfor undertaking all activities
• Development of Ocean technologyfor Ocean Energy, Deep Sea Mining, Coastal Environmental Engineering and Marine Instrumentation, sea front facility, offshore numerical tank, development of unmanned submersible.

Polar Sciences and Cryosphere and Research (PACER) Programme

Pacer Programme supports studies of various aspects relating to Polar and Cryosphere with special emphasis on the Antarctic, Arctic and Glaciers of Himalayas. This includes maintenance of observation systems, expeditions, Indian stations, Polar Research vessels etc. in these environments.

Research, Education and Training Outreach (REACHOUT) Programme

This scheme provides support to academic/research organizations in various sectors of Earth System Sciences including technology development.

Atmosphere & Climate Research – Modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS)

The programme primarily deals with the following:

• Sustaining and strengthening of atmospheric observation systems providing wide range of services viz. Agriculture, Aviation, city forecasts, mountain regions, defence and sports, disasters.
• Development of a suite of atmospheric models required for prediction of monsoon weather and climate in India.
• Conduct climate change research to generate a number of regional scenarios of water and other climate services due to climate Long-term (multi-decadal) simulations, conducting research to enhance understanding of the changing water cycle and paleoclimatic studies
• Continuous augmentation of high performance computation facilities for environmental observations.

Seismological and Geosciences (SAGE) Programme

This programme deals with (i) sustaining and strengthening of seismological observation systems to monitor and provide information on earthquake and all related seismological information, microzonation (ii) research related to solid-earth and geoscience (iii) earthquakes inputs for earthquake disasters mitigation (iii) Deep bore holes investigation in Koyna, Warna region (iv) Marine Geo scientific studies, study of largest Geoid low , Deep-sea drilling in the Arabian Sea basin through the Integrated Ocean Drilling Programme and related study for reconstruction of history and climate variations , rate of erosion (v) crustal processes, natural resource management, coastal processes etc.