“O-SMART” to Harness Vast Ocean Resources
Blue Economy will get a boost as “Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)”, the umbrella scheme of Ministry of Earth Sciences; has been approval by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday August 29, 2018. Technologies being developed under O-SMART will help in harnessing the vast ocean resources that include both living and non-living resources from the seas around India and the scheme O-SMART will provide necessary scientific and technological background required for implementation of various aspects of the Blue Economy. The State of Art Early Warning Systems established under the O-SMART Scheme will help in effectively dealing with ocean disasters like Tsunami, storm surges.
India is embarking on blue economy for effective and efficient use of the vast ocean resources in a sustainable way, which would require a great deal of information on ocean science, development of technology and providing services as the resources on land are not adequate enough to meet the future demands,
“O-SMART” encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities such as Services, Technology, Resources, Observations and Science. The ocean advisory services and technologies being rendered and developed under the scheme play a pivotal role in the development activities over dozen sectors, working in the marine environment including the coastal states of India, contributing significantly to the GDP.
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, and Ports etc.
Currently, five lakhs fishermen community are receiving this information daily through mobile which includes allocation of fish potential and local weather conditions in the coastal waters. This will help in reducing the search time for fishermen resulting savings in the fuel cost
O-SMART’s implementation will also help in addressing issues relating to United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal-14, which aims to conserve use of oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
O-SMART implementation at an overall cost of ₹1623 crore during the next 2 years for the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20 as approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs envisage important deliverables that include:
- Strengthening of Ocean Observations and Modelling
- Strengthening of Ocean Services for Fishermen
- Setting up Marine Coastal Observatories for monitoring marine pollution in 2018
- Setting up Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Plant (OTEC) in Kavaratti
- Acquisition of 2 Coastal Research Vessels for Coastal research
- Continuation of Ocean Survey and Exploration of Minerals and Living Resources
- Technology Development for Deep Ocean Mining- Deep Mining System and Manned Submersibles and
- Setting up Six Desalination Plants in Lakshadweep