India to get weather channel

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Courtesy UNI

The government is to launch an exclusive weather channel under a plan to modernise weather forecast in the country.

Though the launch plans have not been finalised, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said it will be part of a plan to give district-level weather forecast for the entire country.

The Indian Meteorology Department and the National Centre for Medium Range weather Forecasting in Noida are in the process of upgrading machines and manpower, he told a news conference today.

The government will buy super computers and recruit more scientists to create a ''most modern weather forecast system'', he said. The launch of a new Insat-3D satellite will provide the met department with realtime data for predicting weather in a one-km area. The weather channel will be ready around 2010, Mr Sibal said.