Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the State Government has decided to upgrade the “Meghdoot” application, for precise weather forecasts and agricultural advisories to the farmers as the unpredictable and evolving climate patterns, seems likely to pose significant threat to the state’s agriculture and horticulture sectors.
“During this monsoon, Himachal Pradesh witnessed enormous devastation, severely impacting the farming community. Vast patches of agricultural land were either inundated or completely washed away, besides causing substantial losses to the horticulture sector and It is high time to act and improve the weather forecast system,” said the Chief Minister.
He said that the “Meghdoot” application presently offers current weather information and a five-day weather forecast, including data on rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction down to the block level and these factors play crucial roles in agricultural operations. The Chief Minister has directed the Department of Environment, Science Technology and Climate Change to aware more farmers and horticulturists about the Application and the outlined plans for service improvements.
Sukhu said that one key enhancement was strengthening the early warning system so as to help farmers prepare well in advance for facing the adverse weather conditions effectively. Additionally, the application will provide more accurate expert advisories related to crops, empowering farmers to take appropriate actions in response to impending challenges. Furthermore, the Government is working on integrating farmers benefiting from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme with the “Meghdoot” application.
“The recent disasters have prompted a re-evaluation of strategies and policies for the farming sector, including potential amendments to construction activity regulations to better cope with future challenges,” he said. The State Government is committed to support its agricultural and horticultural communities and ensuring that they have access to the information and resources necessary for sustainable livelihood, said the Chief Minister and added that about 90 percent of the population of the State is associated with agriculture related activities and strengthening of this app will help the adopting the crop pattern according to the forecast.
