Why in News?
Mission Mausam is in the news because it has officially completed its first major implementation milestone. According to a recent Parliamentary update on March 11, 2026, the government has reviewed the initial outcomes of Phase-I (2024–2026) and is now transitioning into Phase-II (2026–2031).
About
- Completion of Phase-I: The initial two-year phase, which focused on expanding the observational network and installing 70 new Doppler radars, concluded in March 2026.
- New Computing Records: The mission successfully operationalized high-performance computing (HPC) systems, "ARKA" and "ARUNIKA", reaching a total capacity of 21.91 petaflops to run advanced AI-driven weather models.
- Transition to Phase-II: The government recently outlined plans for the next five years (2026–2031), which will focus on deploying next-generation satellites and aircraft-based observations.
Core Objectives
- "Weather-Ready" India: Aims to make India a "Weather-ready and Climate-smart" nation by significantly reducing the impact of extreme weather events.
- Forecasting Accuracy: Seeks to improve the accuracy of short to medium-range forecasts by 5–10% and extend predictions down to the Panchayat level (5-6 km resolution).
- Extreme Weather Warnings: Enhances early warning systems for cyclones, heatwaves, floods, and droughts, aiming for a lead time of 10–15 days.
Financial & Nodal Details
- Budget: The mission was launched with an initial outlay of ₹2,000 crore for the first two years.
- Nodal Ministry: Led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
- Implementing Agencies: Primarily executed by three key institutes:
- IMD: India Meteorological Department.
- NCMRWF: National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting.
- IITM: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
Advanced Technology Components
- Weather Management: Explores proactive interventions like cloud seeding for rain enhancement and fog dispersal.
- Cloud Physics Research: Establishing a dedicated 'cloud-simulation chamber' at IITM Pune to study atmospheric dynamics.
- AI/ML Integration: Utilizes Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to process complex meteorological data and provide hyper-local forecasts.
- Infrastructure Expansion: Includes 50+ Doppler Weather Radars, wind profilers, and radiometers, plus automated ocean research stations.
Sectoral Benefits
- Agriculture: Provides location-specific agromet advisories to help farmers optimize sowing and irrigation.
- Disaster Management: Supports timely evacuations and risk reduction for vulnerable coastal and hilly regions.
- Other Sectors: Directly impacts aviation safety, power management, water resource planning, and urban transport.
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