IMD is the operational agency for meteorological services of the Government of India since 1875. Formal training needs were felt as early as in 1946 whence the training division of IMD commenced function, in the process training a large number of users from across the country as well as within IMD. In 1986 it was declared as a Regional Training Centre for Asia and Africa by the WMO and started training foreign personnel also.

Modernization of the IMD operational system has brought in a host of digitally managed and mutually integrated observational, processing and communication systems. The training culture befitting this scenario will need a paradigm shift, essentially involving constant refreshing of knowledge and skills, substantial amount of self and guided learning and excellent library, laboratory and hostel facilities. Proposals of this program are essentially in the nature of augmentation and integration of the existing facilities. The core faculty proposed is a nominal increase from the presently deployed personnel drawn from other offices of IMD.

India has already started to engage neighboring countries in developing climate services for the region. These and many other countries look up to India for leadership because of our new policies and impressive infrastructure. We stand to gain much by offering fellowships to fulfill the training aspirations of many of these countries.

a) Objectives:

1. To set up a comprehensive and continuously evolving training programme for S&T operational personnel of IMD, other Government and overseas meteorological organizations.
2. To create infrastructure and content for enabling a system of ‘continuous learning’ at all stages and levels during the careers of personnel.
3. To conduct licentiate courses e.g Aviation Meteorology etc as per needs of ICAO and /or other bodies.
4. To broaden the teaching resource base by collaborating with other organizations and setting up e-learning facilities.
5. To encourage, document and monitor applied research output.

b) Participating Institutions:

India Meteorological Department, Delhi.

c) Implementation Plan:

1. Set up Training Centre with modern teaching aids and hostel facilities
2. Capacity building in Indian context and in the context of South Asia and Africa who are dependent on India for training (10 Foreign fellowships)
3. New Training program with linkages with IITM, Universities and WMO
4. Development of Training Faculty – creation of additional posts for Core Faculty
5. Development of infrastructure AT Pune, Delhi and 2 regional centers at Kolkata and Chennai

The following infrastructure is proposed:

• Annex building at Training Center, Pune (8000 sqft) and a new International Hostel wing (30 seater).
• Renovation of existing Trainees’ Hostel at Pune.
• New Hostel and Training building at Delhi
• Modernization and augmentation of teaching and hostel facilities of the National Meteorological Training Center, Pune and Regional Training Centers at Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.
• E-learning training portal
• Budget requirement including foreign exchange component:

d) Deliverables:

1. Trained manpower for catering to the requirement of operational need of the National Weather Services.
2. Establishment of world class infrastructure in terms of technology and content for training international personnel associated with Meteorological and Hydrological services.
3. Establishment of specialized courses for Aviation meteorology as per recent ICAO/WMO guidelines.

e) Budget requirement : 99 crores

(Rs. In crores)