Gram panchayats to get 5-day, hourly weather forecasts: Centre

New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Aimed at empowering rural communities and enhancing disaster preparedness at the grassroots level, the government said on Wednesday that Gram panchayats will soon receive five-day daily weather forecasts and provision to check hourly weather forecasts.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), in collaboration with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), is set to launch the "Weather Forecasts at the Gram Panchayat Level” system on Thursday in the national capital.

The initiative will directly benefit farmers and villagers across the country, strengthening grassroots governance and promoting sustainable agricultural practices -- making rural populations more climate-resilient and better equipped to tackle environmental challenges.

According to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, this is the first time that localised weather forecasts will be available at the Gram Panchayat level, supported by the IMD’s expanded sensor coverage.

The forecasts will be disseminated through the Ministry’s digital platforms: e-GramSwaraj, which enables efficient governance, project tracking, and resource management; the Meri Panchayat app, which fosters community engagement by allowing citizens to interact with local representatives and report issues; and Gram Manchitra, a spatial planning tool that provides geospatial insights for development projects.

Gram Panchayats will receive daily updates on temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and cloud cover, empowering them to make critical decisions in agriculture, such as planning sowing, irrigation, and harvesting activities. According to the government, these tools will also strengthen disaster preparedness and infrastructure planning. Furthermore, SMS alerts will be sent to Panchayat representatives regarding extreme weather events like cyclones and heavy rainfall, ensuring immediate action to protect lives, crops, and property.

"This endeavour is a transformative step toward building climate-resilient communities at the grassroots level," said the government.

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