Hard Facts 05 2017 (May)

Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group
Maharashtra CM inaugurates state’s first automatic weather station in Nagpur
As an effective measure towards understanding weather cycles and crop patterns that would benefit farmers,
Automated Weather Stations or AWS, will be set up across the state this year. Close to 2,065 such stations will
come up in the state on PPP (public private partnership) models within this year and 1,000 of these will be set
up by June. The state government has collaborated with Skymet Weather Private Ltd, a private weather
forecasting firm, for the project Mahavedh under which a network of AWS will be launched.
So, an AWS is an automated version of the traditional weather station, basically created to save human labour
or to enable measurements from remote areas. It typically consists of a weatherproof enclosure that contains a
data logger, rechargeable battery and the meteorological sensors with either an attached solar panel or wind
turbine and mounted upon a mast. The system may report in near real time via a set telecommunication system
or save the data for later recovery.
So how is this going to benefit a farmer?
The AWS will be helpful in measuring the accuracy in rain pattern, humidity and expected rainfall also including
informing about the best crop for the farmers. The gathered information will be shared to the farmers through
the Mahavedh portal, the state’s agriculture-weather information network as well as the Skymet mobile
application. The farmers, based on the information provided by the AWS, can go ahead with the sowing in a
much better and planned way in accordance to the weather conditions. The role of the weather station will be
significant since the Indian Meteorological Department or IMD forecast pertains only to zones and not taluks.
Mumbai-Goa Tejas Express
The much-awaited Tejas Express, which boasts of several modern facilities onboard like LED TV and tea/coffee
vending machine, will be flagged off from Mumbai for Goa on May 22. Equipped with CCTV cameras besides
smoke and fire detection system, the 19-coach Tejas train will have bio- vacuum toilets and GPS-based
passenger information display system. Since the train is equipped with better facilities, the fare will also be
slightly higher as compared to normal mail/express service. There will be comfortable seating arrangements and
each seat will have LED TV with touch control system and call bell facilities. The 20-coach Tejas Express will be
the first Indian Railways' train to have automatic doors and secured gangways for all coaches. It would run
between Mumbai and Karmali (Goa) five days a week during non-monsoon period and three days a week during
monsoon by halting at Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Ratnagiri and Kudal stations.
Measurement of Liveability Index of cities to begin next month
Ministry of Urban Development will launch measuring of Liveability Index of cities next month based on
indigenously evolved Index. This was announced by Shri Rajiv Gauba, Secretary (Urban Development) here
today while addressing a World Bank organized knowledge sharing workshop on improving accountability for
local governments.
To start with, Liveability Standards of 140 cities including 53 cities with population of one million and above and
Smart Cities will be assessed. The Ministry has already invited bids for selecting the agency for carrying out the
assessment based on the parameters evolved by the Ministry. The Ministry of Urban Development has come out
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