Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today virtually inaugurated the India's 51st state-of-the-art Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha, in the presence of Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi. The inauguration marks a significant addition to India’s weather observation infrastructure and is aimed at strengthening forecasting and early warning capabilities across Western Odisha and adjoining regions.
With the commissioning of the Sambalpur radar, Odisha now has three Doppler Weather Radars, following the installations at Gopalpur and Paradip, while the national network has reached 51 Doppler Weather Radars. The new facility will strengthen weather observations over Western Odisha and provide improved meteorological inputs for adjoining areas of Southern Jharkhand, Northern Chhattisgarh and parts of North Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
Addressing the programme, Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s weather observation infrastructure over the last decade. He said that the country had only 14 Doppler Weather Radars in 2014, whereas the network has now expanded to 51. He added that around 40 more radars are planned under Mission Mausam, which will take the total number of Doppler Weather Radars in the country to about 81.
The Minister said the expansion is part of the Government’s broader effort to strengthen India’s capacity to observe, understand and respond to extreme weather events. He underlined that enhanced observation capabilities are particularly important for regions vulnerable to thunderstorms, lightning, heavy rainfall and other weather-related hazards.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said the Sambalpur radar is significant as it will help bridge an important observational gap in the region. The additional observations generated by the radar will strengthen the ability of meteorological agencies to track weather systems and provide more timely and accurate information to the administration and communities.
Emphasising that weather preparedness cannot depend on radar infrastructure alone, Dr. Singh said that the Government is simultaneously expanding a network of ground-based meteorological observation systems. Automatic Weather Stations and rain gauges are being established across Odisha, including at district and school-level locations, to improve the availability of local weather data.
The Minister also highlighted the deployment of advanced observational systems, including radio sonde stations and microwave radiometers, as part of the effort to build a comprehensive and multi-layered weather observation network.
He said that the ultimate objective is to move towards increasingly localised and precise forecasting, so that weather information can be translated into timely action at the grassroots level. Such enhanced forecasting capabilities have direct relevance for agriculture, disaster management, power and energy systems and other sectors dependent on weather conditions.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also announced further strengthening of meteorological infrastructure in Odisha, stating that additional Doppler Weather Radars are in the pipeline for Balasore, Puri and Bhubaneswar. He said that the expansion of automated weather monitoring is also being taken forward across regional centres and adjoining areas, including Ranchi, Kolkata, Jagdalpur and Patna.
The Minister underlined that the strengthening of India’s meteorological capabilities is also contributing to the country’s growing regional role. Referring to the 150th anniversary of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Dr. Singh said that India’s meteorological capabilities are increasingly serving as an important regional resource.
In the spirit of ‘Neighbour First’ and ‘Vishwa Bandhu Bharat’, IMD is providing weather, cyclone and flash-flood forecasting and early warning support to 13 neighbouring countries, he said. Dr. Singh noted that India’s investment in modern meteorological infrastructure is therefore contributing not only to domestic preparedness but also to regional disaster resilience.
Dr. Jitendra Singh appreciated the cooperation extended by the Government of Odisha in facilitating the establishment of the Sambalpur radar. He said that the Centre-State partnership in strengthening scientific and technological infrastructure can play an important role in enhancing the State’s preparedness for extreme weather events.
The Minister described Odisha as a “weather-ready, climate-resilient state”, highlighting the importance of combining the State’s disaster preparedness experience with modern scientific and technological capabilities.
Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar Tummala, appreciated the Government of Odisha for facilitating the land acquisition and construction required for the radar. He said that the enhanced observational data network would provide important inputs for agriculture, disaster management and power and energy management across the State.
The programme was attended by Rajya Sabha Member Shri Manmohan Samal, MLA Shri Jayanarayan Mishra, Odisha State Minister Shri Suresh Pujari, Director General, India Meteorological Department, Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, and senior officials of the Union and State Governments.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said the continued expansion of the country’s weather observation network under Mission Mausam reflects the Government’s approach of combining advanced science and technology with timely early warnings, so that weather information reaches the people and institutions that need it most and strengthens preparedness against extreme weather events.
PHOTO – Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh addressing virtually the Doppler Weather Radar inauguration ceremony at Sambalpur, Odisha.