How India's New Gram Panchayat Weather Forecasting is Set To Change the Game for Rural India

New Delhi: A historic and revolutionary program to give Gram Panchayats five days a week of weather forecasting and assistance is about to be launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) in collaboration with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) on October 24, 2024, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

As per the Panchayat Raj Ministry “This initiative, aimed at empowering rural communities and enhancing disaster preparedness at the grassroots, will directly benefit farmers and villagers across the country.”

As part of the Government's 100 Days Agenda, this initiative strengthens grassroots governance and promotes sustainable agricultural practices, making rural populations more climate-resilient and better equipped to tackle environmental challenges.

This innovative project will be launched with a training workshop on "Weather Forecasts at the Gram Panchayat Level." More than 200 people will attend the event, including State Panchayati Raj officials and elected representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions. The knowledge and abilities gained from this training session will enable Panchayat members and functionaries to make informed decisions and improve climate resilience in their communities by enabling them to use weather forecasting tools and resources at the local level.

This is the first time that localized weather forecasts will be available at the Gram Panchayat level, supported by 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.