Ocean Services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)

Ministry of Earth Sciences

Context:

Cabinet approves continuation of the umbrella scheme “Ocean Services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)”

About O-SMART:

• The Ocean Services Modelling Application Resources and Technology (O-SMART) is a government scheme that aims at promoting ocean research and setting up early warning weather systems.
• The scheme also aims at addressing ocean development activities such as technology, services, resources, science, and observations as well as offering required technological assistance for implementing aspects of Blue Economy.
• The O-SMART scheme was approved by the Cabinet Committee chaired by PM on August 29, 2018.
• The Ministry of Earth Sciences works on the implementation of the scheme. O-SMART
• The services rendered under the O-SMART will provide economic benefits to a number of user communities in the coastal and ocean sectors, namely, fisheries, offshore industry, coastal states, Defence, Shipping, Ports etc.
• It seeks to address issues relating to SDG-14, which aims to conserve the use of oceans, marine resources for sustainable development.
• It also provides the necessary scientific and technological background required for the implementation of various aspects of Blue Economy.
• The State of Art Early Warning Systems established Scheme will help in effectively dealing with ocean disasters like Tsunami, storm surges.
• The technologies being developed will help in harnessing the vast ocean resources of both living and non-living resources from the seas around India.
• A fleet of research vessels viz., Technology Demonstration vessel SagarNidhi, Oceanographic Research Vessel SagarKanya, Fisheries and Oceanographic Research Vessel SagarSampada and Coastal Research Vessel SagarPurvi have been acquired to provide required research support.

Following are the main objectives: –

• To generate and regularly update information on Marine Living Resources and their relationship with the physical environment in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
• To periodically monitor levels of sea water pollutants for health assessment of coastal waters of India, to develop shoreline change maps for assessment of coastal erosion due to natural and anthropogenic activities.
• To develop a wide range of the state-of-the art ocean observation systems for acquisition of real-time data from the seas around India.
• To generate and disseminate a suite of user-oriented ocean information, advisories, warnings, data and data products for the benefit of society.
• To develop high resolution models for ocean forecast and reanalysis system.
• To develop algorithms for validation of satellite data for coastal research and to monitor changes in the coastal research.
• Acquisition of 2 Coastal Research Vessels (CRVs) as replacement of 2 old CRVs for coastal pollution monitoring, testing of various underwater components and technology demonstration.
• To develop technologies to tap the marine bio resources, to develop technologies generating freshwater and energy from ocean, to develop underwater vehicles and technologies and Establishment of Ballast water treatment facility etc.
• Submission of India’s claim over continental shelf extending beyond the EEZ supported by scientific data, and the topographic survey of EEZ of India.

O-SMART: Seven sub-schemes

• Ocean Technology
• Ocean Modelling and Advisory Services (OSMAS)
• Ocean Observation Network (OON)
• Ocean Non-Living Resources
• Marine Living Resources and Ecology (MLRE)
• Coastal Research and Operation
• Maintenance of Research Vessels

Other Ocean related activities:

• India has been accorded pioneer status on deep-sea mining of Poly-Metallic Nodules [PMN] in an area of in the Central Indian Ocean [CIO] allotted by International Sea Bed Authority [ISBA]
• India’s ocean related activities are now extended from the Arctic to the Antarctic region covering large ocean spaces which have been monitored through a wide spectrum of in situ and satellite-based observations.
• India has also established a state-of-the art early warning systems for ocean disasters, viz, tsunami, cyclones, storm surges etc.
• India had also signed the Antarctic Treaty System and joined Commission of Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) for harnessing the resources.
• Besides, the ministry has been monitoring the health of coastal waters of India including shoreline changes and marine ecosystem.
• The others like Remotely Operated Submersible and soil tester, both capable of operation upto 6000 m. water depth, shallow bed mining systems are some of the cutting edge technologies developed.

Source: PIB

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