PARLIAMENT QUESTION: WEATHER FORECASTING AND EARLY WARNINGS

1. At a Glance

• Mission Mausam is India's flagship scheme (2024-26) to make the country "Weather-ready and Climate-smart" via upgraded observation, modelling, and forecasting infrastructure [1].
• Anchored in the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), executed via IMD, IITM, NCMRWF [3].
• High-yield for Prelims (numbers, dates, agencies) and Mains GS-III (disaster management, science & tech).
• Directly tied to India's DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) commitments and Sendai Framework targets on early warning coverage.

2. Why in the News

• PIB Parliament Question reply dated 23 July 2026 reiterated Mission Mausam's objectives, progress on early-warning systems, and forecasting accuracy gains in response to Lok/Rajya Sabha queries [1].
• Multiple parallel Parliament Questions through 2025-26 covered radar expansion, regional implementation (Odisha, North-East), and cyclone forecasting strengthening, indicating sustained parliamentary scrutiny of the Mission [2].

3. Background & Evolution

• 11 September 2024: Union Cabinet approved Mission Mausam with outlay of ₹2,000 crore over two years [3].
• 14 January 2025: Formally launched by the Prime Minister at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, alongside release of IMD Vision-2047 [2].
• 15 January 2025: IMD's 150th Foundation Day; "Mausamgram" forecasting platform released by the Vice President [4].
• Predecessor context: Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) network grew from 15 (2014) to 39 (2023), with Mission Mausam targeting 87 additional DWRs by 2026 for near-complete national coverage [4].

4. Core Static Facts

Item	Detail
Scheme	Mission Mausam
Approved by	Union Cabinet, 11 Sept 2024 [3]
Launched by	PM, 14 Jan 2025, Bharat Mandapam [2]
Outlay	₹2,000 crore over 2 years [3]
Nodal Ministry	Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) [3]
Implementing institutes	IMD, IIT-M (Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology), NCMRWF [3]
Key model	Bharat Forecast System (BharatFS) — 6 km resolution, panchayat-level forecasts [4]
Public platform	"Mausamgram" — hourly (36 hrs), 3-hourly (5 days), 6-hourly (10 days) forecasts [1]
Radar target	87 new DWRs by 2026 (from 39 in 2023) [4]
Reported forecast accuracy gain	40% improvement in severe-weather forecast accuracy vs previous decade [1]
Cyclone deaths	Fell from ~10,000 (1999) to zero (2020-2024) [4]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Scientific/Technological

• BharatFS is India's first indigenous high-resolution (6 km) NWP model enabling block/panchayat-level forecasts [4].
• Combines Numerical Weather Prediction upgrades with expanded Doppler radar and satellite observation networks [1].

Administrative

• Multi-institute execution (IMD/IITM/NCMRWF) under one MoES umbrella requires coordination across observation, modelling, and dissemination arms [3].
• Sub-national rollout tracked separately for states/regions (e.g., Odisha, North-East) via distinct Parliament Questions, showing federal implementation monitoring [2].

Social

• Early warning granularity down to panchayat level targets last-mile disaster preparedness for rural/agrarian populations.
• Cyclone mortality reduction to near-zero (2020-24) is cited as the flagship social outcome of improved warnings [4].

Economic

• ₹2,000 crore central outlay is positioned as a high-return investment given avoided disaster losses (agriculture, aviation, fisheries, insurance sectors depend on forecast accuracy).

Environmental/Climate

• Explicitly framed as making India "Climate-smart," linking weather forecasting infrastructure to climate adaptation and extreme-event resilience.

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 23 July 2026: PIB Parliament reply on "Weather Forecasting and Early Warnings" reaffirms Mission Mausam progress and cites 40% forecast-accuracy improvement [1].
• 2025-26: Series of Parliament Questions on Mission Mausam implementation — general status, Odisha-specific rollout, North-East region, radar network expansion, cyclone forecasting strengthening, and computer-simulation model advances (BharatFS) [2][5].
• 15 Jan 2025: Mausamgram platform launched during IMD's 150th anniversary celebrations [4].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Mission Mausam launched by PM on 14 January 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi [2].
• Cabinet approval date: 11 September 2024 [3].
• Total outlay: ₹2,000 crore over 2 years [3].
• Nodal ministry: Ministry of Earth Sciences, NOT MoEFCC [3].
• Three implementing institutes: IMD, IITM (Pune), NCMRWF [3].
• BharatFS operates at 6 km resolution, enabling panchayat-level forecasts [4].
• Mausamgram released 15 January 2025, coinciding with IMD's 150th Foundation Day [4].
• Mausamgram forecast tiers: hourly (next 36 hrs), 3-hourly (5 days), 6-hourly (10 days) [1].
• DWR network: 15 radars in 2014 → 39 in 2023 → target +87 by 2026 [4].
• Cyclone deaths fell from ~10,000 in 1999 to zero (2020-2024) [4].
• Reported 40% improvement in severe-weather forecast accuracy over the previous decade [1].
• IMD Vision-2047 was released alongside Mission Mausam's launch [2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Disaster Management (early warning systems); Science & Technology (indigenous NWP models, achievements of Indians in S&T).
• GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in sectors (agriculture, disaster resilience).
• Possible question stems: 1. "Discuss how Mission Mausam seeks to transform India's weather forecasting and disaster early-warning capabilities. Examine associated implementation challenges." (GS-III) 2. "Early warning systems are a critical but under-utilised component of disaster risk reduction in India. Evaluate this in light of Mission Mausam." (GS-III) 3. "Assess the role of indigenous technological development (e.g., Bharat Forecast System) in strengthening India's climate resilience." (GS-III)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction — global benchmark for early-warning coverage that Mission Mausam feeds into.
• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) — downstream user of IMD/Mission Mausam warnings.
• India Meteorological Department (IMD) history & 150 years — institutional backbone of the mission.
• Cyclone warning systems (e.g., Cyclone Fani, Amphan case studies) — real-world validation of forecasting gains.
• Digital Agriculture Mission — panchayat-level weather data feeds into farm advisories.
• Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and High-Performance Computing in India — technical backbone (Pratyush, Mihir supercomputers).
• Climate Change and India's NDCs — broader climate-smart policy architecture.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing Ministry of Earth Sciences with MoEFCC (Environment) — MoES is the correct nodal ministry.
• Mixing up Cabinet approval date (11 Sept 2024) with launch date (14 Jan 2025) — these are distinct events.
• Assuming Mausamgram and BharatFS are the same thing — Mausamgram is the public dissemination platform; BharatFS is the underlying high-resolution model.
• Misremembering DWR numbers — base year 2014 (15 radars) vs 2023 (39 radars) vs Mission Mausam target (+87 by 2026).
• Treating Mission Mausam as a standalone new agency — it is a scheme implemented through existing MoES institutes (IMD, IITM, NCMRWF), not a new body.