The Ministry of Earth Sciences is acquiring two new vehicles, a plane and a ship
The MoES secretary M. Rajeevan informed that the ministry had bought a research aircraft which would be used for cloud seeding and artificial rain making. These technologies help in creating rain to clear the air and to ensure precipitation when the local area is not able to develop the required systems. The aircraft will be used for research and will begin experiments in Solapur area of Maharashtra this year itself. The government has an ongoing 400 crore national monsoon mission to study the monsoon and its patterns, and develop accurate forecasting.
The cabinet recently gave its approval for a Polar research vessel, which is required to take scientists and equipment to Antarctica and also to conduct on board research. At present, the ministry has to lease a ship for the purpose. The tendering process for acquiring a polar vessel will take time, however, and it could be another three years before India gets its ship.
Rajeevan said India's first research station at Antarctica, Maitri, had become outdated, and the government would also be working on developing a new station to replace it. Right now, the research component has shifted to the Bharti research centre and Maitri is largely being used as a storehouse.
