Ocean—Services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)

Why in news? Recently, government allocated an amount of Rs. 2177 crore for implementation of ‘Ocean Services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)’ Scheme during a period of 5 years i.e. 2021-22 to 2025-26.

About:

• It aims at stepping up ocean research and setting up early warning weather systems.
• It addresses ocean development activities such as services, technology, resources, observations, and science and provides necessary scientific and technological background required for implementation of various aspects of Blue Economy.

Objective

• To generate and regularly update information on Marine Living Resources.
• To periodically monitor levels of seawater pollutants for health assessment of coastal waters of India.
• To develop shoreline, change maps for assessment of coastal erosion due to natural and anthropogenic activities.
• To develop a wide range of state-of-the-art ocean observation systems for the acquisition of real-time data from the seas around India and to cater to the testing and sea trial activities of ocean technology.
• Establishment of Ballast water treatment
• To carry out exploration of Polymetallic Nodules (MPN) from water depth of 5500 m.
• Exploration of polymetallic sulphides near Rodrigues Triple junction (convergence of Central Indian Ridge, the Southeast Indian Ridge, and the Southwest Indian Ridge) in 10000 sq. km of area allotted to India in International waters by International Seabed Authority.
• Submission of India's claim over continental shelf extending beyond the EEZ supported by scientific data, and the Topographic survey of EEZ of India.

Steps taken by govt to achieve objectives:

• Various ocean observational platforms including Argo floats, XBT/XCTDs, Wave Rider Buoys, Automatic Weather Stations, Drifters, Moored Buoys, Tide Gauges, Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers, were deployed.
• Operational services on Tsunami Early Warnings, Storm Surges, Potential Fishing Zones, Ocean State Forecast, Harmful Algal Blooms, Coral Reefs, Multi Hazard Vulnerability, Coastal Vulnerability Indices, High Wave Alerts, Oil Spill, Search and Rescue operations etc were generated using the data and models operational in house and was provided on day-to-day basis to various stake holders and end users.

Implementing Ministry: Ministry of earth sciences

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1907203