PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI) Scheme: Initiative for Ease of Research in Earth Sciences

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why in News?
• What is the PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI) Scheme?
• Significance of the PRITHVI Scheme
• Role Played by the MoES in Understanding Earth System Science
• Institutes Associated with MoES and their Role in Implementing PRITHVI Scheme

Why in News?

• The Union Cabinet has approved an initiative - PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI).
• This initiative will give the government flexibility to pursue research and use funds allocated to 5 different sub-schemes related to earth sciences over a 5-year period.

What is the PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI) Scheme?

• It is an overarching scheme of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), for implementation during the period from 2021-26 at an overall cost of Rs. 4,797 crores.
• The major objectives of the Scheme are:
  • Augmentation and sustenance of long-term observations of the atmosphere, ocean, geosphere, cryosphere and solid earth to record the vital signs of the Earth System and change.
  • Development of modelling systems for understanding and predicting weather, ocean and climate hazards and understanding the science of climate change.
  • Exploration of polar and high seas regions of the Earth towards discovery of new phenomena and resources.
  • Development of technology for exploration and sustainable harnessing of oceanic resources for societal applications.
  • Translation of knowledge and insights from Earth systems science into services for societal, environmental and economic benefit.
• The Scheme encompasses 5 ongoing sub-schemes namely -
  • Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS),
  • Ocean Services, Modelling Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART),
  • Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER),
  • Seismology and Geosciences (SAGE) and
  • Research, Education, Training and Outreach (REACHOUT).

Significance of the PRITHVI Scheme

• Earth System Sciences deal with all the 5 components of the earth system: atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere and their complex interactions.
• The overarching scheme of PRITHVI will holistically address all the five components (looking at them as one unit) of the earth system -
  • To improve the understating of the Earth System Sciences and
  • To provide reliable services for the country.
• It will help in taking up cross-disciplinary projects and even use funds allocated for the separate verticals together. Thus, it will also facilitate ease of doing research.
• These integrated R&D efforts will help in addressing the grand challenges of weather and climate, ocean, cryosphere, seismological science and services.
• It will also help in exploring the living and non-living resources for their sustainable harnessing.
• It will allow the Ministry to award research projects to overseas institutes.

Role Played by the MoES in Understanding Earth System Science

• MoES holistically addresses all the aspects relating to the Earth System Science.
• It is mandated -
  • To translate Science to Services for the Society in providing services for weather, climate, ocean and coastal state, hydrology, seismology, and natural hazards;
  • To explore and harness marine living and non-living resources in a sustainable manner for the country and
  • To explore the three poles of the Earth (Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayas).
• These services include -
  • Weather forecasts (both on land and in the Oceans) and
  • Warnings for various natural disasters like tropical cyclones, storm surge, floods, heat waves, thunderstorm and lightning; alerts for Tsunamis and monitoring of earthquakes, etc.
• The services provided by the Ministry are being effectively used by different agencies and state governments for saving human lives and minimising damages to the properties due to natural disasters.

Institutes Associated with MoES and their Role in Implementing PRITHVI Scheme

• The research & development and operational (services) activities of MoES are carried out by 10 Institutes of MoES, viz.
  • India Meteorological Department (IMD),
  • National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF),
  • Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE),
  • National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR),
  • National Centre for Seismology (NCS),
  • National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT),
  • Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service (INCOIS), Hyderabad,
  • National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa,
  • Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and
  • National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS).
• A fleet of oceanographic and coastal research vessels of the Ministry will provide required research support for the scheme.
• Various components of PRITHVI scheme are interdependent and are carried out in an integrated manner through combined efforts of the concerned Institutes under MoES.

Q1) What is the Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS) Scheme?

The ACROSS umbrella scheme is a central sector scheme, which pertains to the atmospheric science programs of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and addresses different aspects of weather and climate services.

Q2) What do you mean by cryosphere?

The cryosphere contains the frozen parts of the planet. It includes snow and ice on land, ice caps, glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice. This sphere helps maintain Earth's climate by reflecting incoming solar radiation back into space.

Source: Cabinet clears PRITHVI initiative for ease of research in earth sciences | PIB