Science & innovation to play pivotal role in India’s economic rise, says Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Earth Sciences Minister Dr Jitendra Singh yesterday launched 14 major products and initiatives developed by various institutes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. These include rainfall monitoring and crop-weather calendars, advanced weather forecasting systems, high-resolution rainfall datasets, updated wave atlases and seabed charts, air quality forecasting systems, marine biodiversity reports, and seismic microzonation studies of four Indian cities.

Addressing the celebrations on the Ministry’s 19th Foundation Day in New Delhi, Dr Singh called for deeper public engagement and wider awareness of science-driven citizen services. He said that science and innovation were not just central to ecological sustainability but would also play a pivotal



role in India’s economic rise in the coming decades. Highlighting the changes over the past decade, Dr Singh remarked that today the country is at a stage where even a casual user can access live weather alerts, cyclone warnings, air quality updates, and ocean forecasts on their mobile phones.

The Minister further highlighted how the Ministry’s work is supporting critical sectors like agriculture and fisheries. He pointed out that over seven lakh farmers are now registered on the Meghdoot app for advisories while fishermen across the coast rely on daily SMS updates to determine safe and fuel-efficient fishing zones. He also called upon greater collaborations with other Ministries and greater public outreach.