India Meteorology Department (IMD), Ministry of Earth Sciences has aranged satellite-enabled services to support farmers in India. Servces include weather forecasting, agro-advisory, agromet services, soil moisture and agricultural extension activities to support farming operations in the country. These services are provided by using satellite as well as ground based data.
Further, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has demonstrated the concept of Village Resource Centres (VRC) jointly with State Governments and Non-Governmental Organisations for providing integrated space technology based services for development of rural areas related to tele-healthcare, tele-education, natural resources information, advisories related to agriculture career guidance to rural students, skill development and vocational training etc.
The satellite-enabled services to support farmers are integral part of an overarching plan to design & deploy various satellite based services to meet the developmental needs of the country and no separate funds are allocated or spent exclusively for satellite-enabled services to support farmers.
This information was given by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in reply to unstarred question in Rajya Sabha today.
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