The Odisha government, on Thursday, signed an MoU with Skymet Weather Services Pvt Ltd for the implementation of a project aimed at strengthening weather data infrastructure and providing reliable weather information.
The state government’s Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment Department entered into an agreement with Skymet for implementation of the Weather Information Network Data System (WINDS) project, officials said.
The central government has launched the WINDS project with the objective to further strengthen the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), they said.
“The initiative is aimed at improving weather data accessibility and enhancing risk management in agriculture, insurance and disaster management sectors,” said Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo, who is also in charge of the agriculture department.
Deo said, as part of the agreement, Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG) will be installed at strategic locations across the state to ensure timely and accurate weather data.
Automatic rain gauges will also be set up at the panchayat-level while automatic weather stations will be set up at the block-level.
“Providing accurate weather data for better crop planning, risk assessment and yield prediction will enhance farmers’ efficiency,” the deputy CM said.
Taking to his official X handle on Thursday, Deo wrote in a post, “Today at Lokseva Bhawan, I presided over the signing of the MoU for the WINDS Project—a transformative initiative set to redefine Odisha’s environmental intelligence and disaster resilience.
This project signifies our commitment to harnessing advanced weather and climate technologies to safeguard lives, empower communities, and ensure data-driven governance across the state.
Odisha continues to lead with precision, purpose, and preparedness.”
