Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) celebrated its Foundation Day on 27 July

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) celebrated its foundation day on 27 July.  MoES was formed in 2006 from a merger of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the Earth Risk Evaluation Centre (EREC), and the Ministry of Ocean Development.

To celebrate the foundation day, an exhibition depicting various activities of the Ministry was organised. Vilasrao Deshmukh was the Chief Guest. Dr R Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser delivered the Foundation Day Lecture while Dr Ashwani Kumar, Minister of state for Science and Technology, and Earth Sciences presided the function. National award and Certificate of Merit to distinguished scientists in various fields of Ocean Science and Technology and Atmospheric Science and Technology’ was given. The Ministry organized drawing competition all over the country.

About the Ministry

The Ministry of Earth Sciences work in Mission Mode based on Commission structure under the Earth Commission, under which is responsible for formulating policies, oversee implementation of policies and programs in mission mode, and ensure the necessary interdisciplinary integration.

The Ministry shoulders the responsibility to provide the nation with best possible services in forecasting the monsoons and other weather/climate parameters, ocean state, earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena related to earth systems through integrated programmes. The Ministry also deals with science and technology for exploration and exploitation of ocean resources as well as plays nodal role for Antarctic/Arctic and Southern Ocean research. The Ministry mandate is to look after Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean Science & Technology and Seismology in an integrated manner. MoES aims to create a framework for understanding the complex interactions among key elements of the Earth System, namely ocean, atmosphere and solid earth, by encompassing national programmes in Ocean science, meteorology, climate, environment and seismology.

The other Units under the Ministry of Earth Sciences are National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) Chennai, National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research (NCAOR) Goa, and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) Hyderabad, Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management Project Directorate (ICMAM-PD) Chennai, and Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE) Kochi under the Ocean Science and Technology sector.

The History behind the Ministry

Former Indian Priime Minister Indira Gandhi had created the Department of Ocean Development as an independent Scientific Department on 27 July 1981 in view of India’s vast coastline of about 7500 km. length and the fact that approximately 37% of India’s population live in the coastal areas, deriving benefits from the seas. The Department was notified as the Ministry of Ocean Development (MoOD) in February 2006.

Considering the close interaction between Ocean, Atmosphere and Earth and the need to have an integrated scientific approach, the Government approved the formation of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), which came into being on 12 July 2007. The Ministry would include the Department of Ocean Development, India Meteorological Department, India Institute of Tropical Meteorology & National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting.

With the intention of creating awareness about this sector and also to highlight activities of national importance being undertaken, a need was felt to celebrate its Foundation Day on 27 July every year. Accordingly, the Ministry of Earth Sciences has been celebrating its Foundation Day since 2004.