Cabinet approves continuation of ocean research scheme O-SMART for 5 years

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday approved the continuation of the umbrella scheme "Ocean Services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)" for the 2021-26 period at a cost of Rs 2,177 crore.

The scheme encompasses seven sub-schemes - Ocean Technology, Ocean Modelling and Advisory Services (OMAS), Ocean Observation Network (OON), Ocean Non-Living Resources, Marine Living Resources and Ecology (MLRE), Coastal Research and Operation and Maintenance of Research Vessels.

These sub-schemes are being implemented by autonomous institutes of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The objectives of the O-SMART scheme are: providing forecast and services based on the continuous observation of oceans, development of technologies and exploratory surveys for sustainable harnessing of oceanic resources (both living and non-living) and promotion of front-ranking research in ocean sciences.

OSMART being a multidisciplinary continuing scheme, the ongoing extensive research and technology development activities would augment capacity building of the nation in the oceanographic field at the international-level, the ministry said in a statement.

"The present decade has been declared as the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development by the United Nations and the continuation of the scheme would strengthen our stand in the global oceanographic research and technology development," it said.