INDIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT

Why in News?                                                                                                        

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi hailed the India Meteorological Department’s exceptional service to our nation. The department completed 150 years of service.

What is Indian Meteorological Department?

• IMD was established in 1875. It is the National Meteorological Serviceof the country and the principal government agency in all matters relating to meteorology and allied subjects.
• The Director General of Meteorologyis the Head of the India Meteorological Department.
• There are 6 Regional Meteorological Centres, each under a Deputy Director General with headquarters at Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi, Calcutta, Nagpur and Guwahati.
• Its headquarter is in New Delhi.
• At present IMD is under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• IMD Mandate:
  • To take meteorological observations and to provide current and forecast meteorological information for weather-sensitive activities like agriculture, shipping, aviation, offshore oil explorations, etc.
  • To warn against severe weather phenomena like tropical cyclones, norwesters, duststorms, heavy rains and snow, cold and heat waves.
  • To provide meteorological statistics required for agriculture, water resource management, industries, oil exploration and other nation-building activities.
  • To conduct and promote research in meteorology and allied disciplines.