Maha govt to install 10,000 rain-measuring devices to get accurate weather data

Aurangabad: As many as 10,000 rain measuring devices will be installed across Maharashtra, which will provide accurate information about weather in real time, state Minister Abdul Sattar said on Saturday.

The state currently has 2,200 rainfall measuring devices, but the government is planning to take this figure to 10,000, Sattar told reporters after a pre-Kharif season meeting here.

Talking to PTI, Agriculture Commissioner Sunil Chavan said, “This project is under consideration and we are planning to install 10,000 rain-measuring devices in the state. One machine will be installed for four gram panchayats. The machine will not only provide data about rainfall, but also about wind velocity and other aspects of weather.”

A private company will be roped in for the project, while the state government will provide land for it, he said, adding that the company will also be free to share the data with crop insurance companies.

“The state will witness 96 per cent rainfall in the upcoming monsoon season. There will be no scarcity as such of rains this year. The state government will ensure that there is no shortage of urea, seeds and other essentials,” Sattar said.

In another initiative, drones will be employed to spray nano urea in the state, the minister said.

“At least 500 gm of nano urea, which is an effective equivalent to 50 kg of urea, will be mixed in water and sprayed with the help of drones. Drones will be provided at subsidised rates and operators will be trained at Rahuri Agriculture University for 15 days,” he said.

Speaking about the losses faced by farmers due to unseasonal rains, Sattar said, “Nearly 70 per cent of the crop loss survey has been completed. Once the rains stop in some parts of the state, we finish the remaining survey in a week’s time.”