Weather Monitoring Now in Your Village

In the wake of global climate change, accurate weather information has become vital for agriculture, disaster management, and policy-making. In this context, the Government of India has launched an ambitious project called the Weather Information Network Data System (WINDS). Under this initiative, the Government of Maharashtra has taken a historic step to set up automated weather stations (AWS) at the gram panchayat level.

What is WINDS?

WINDS is a system that uses automated instruments to collect continuous weather data such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, and direction. This data is analyzed using artificial intelligence and uploaded to a government portal in real time.

It ensures timely and hyper-local weather data for farmers, administrators, researchers, and meteorologists.

Why Weather Stations at Gram Panchayat Level?

Existing weather stations at revenue division level often fail to provide accurate local data. Weather conditions—like rainfall, hailstorms, or winds—are highly localized. Hence, setting up weather stations at the village level ensures accurate data for every region.

What is an Automated Weather Station (AWS)?

Each AWS collects data 24/7 on:

• Current, minimum & maximum temperature
• Rainfall
• Relative humidity
• Wind speed & direction
• Atmospheric pressure

This information helps in:

• Agricultural advisory services
• Validating insurance claims
• Issuing disaster warnings
• Supporting weather research

How Will the Stations Be Installed?

The state government has selected implementation partner agencies, responsible for installation, maintenance, operations, and reporting. These include:

• Azista Industries Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad
• National Commodities Management Services Ltd., Hyderabad
• Ingen Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Kanpur
• Skymet Weather Services Pvt. Ltd., Noida
• Obel Systems Pvt. Ltd., Secunderabad

Each agency will cover 2–3 revenue divisions, and tenders will be floated for installation.

Space Requirements for AWS

• 5m x 7m (or 5m x 5m in hilly areas)
• Free from obstructions like tall buildings or trees
• Temperature & humidity sensors at 1.5–2m height
• Wind sensor at 3m height
  Gram Panchayats will provide land based on technical norms. Private land may be rented if needed.

Role of Gram Sevaks / Officials

Each AWS will have a local supervising officer, such as a gram sevak, responsible for:

• Ensuring smooth operation
• Routine maintenance and inspection
• Reporting faults to partner agencies
• Keeping regular records

Funding Structure

The cost-sharing model between Centre and State:

• 2025–26: Centre 80%, State 20%
• 2026–27: Centre 60%, State 40%
• 2027–28 onward: Equal 50-50 split
  Funds will be disbursed from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund.

Administrative and Coordination Structure

State-Level Committee:

• Chair: Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Department
• Members: Officials from Revenue, Rural Development, Finance, Planning, etc.
• Role: Policy guidance and oversight

District-Level Committee:

• Chair: District Collector
• Members: District Agriculture and Zilla Parishad officials
• Role: Site selection and supervision

Taluka-Level Committee:

• Chair: Tehsildar
• Members: Taluka agriculture and Panchayat Samiti officers
• Role: Panchayat coordination and technical support

Grievance Redressal Mechanism

Available at:

• Taluka level
• District level
• Commissioner of Agriculture, Pune
• WINDS Committee at the Centre

Direct Benefits

• Accurate weather data for every village
• Better crop planning
• Early disaster warnings
• Credible insurance assessments
• Boost to weather research
• Reliable data for governance

This initiative reflects the Maharashtra Government’s visionary step towards rural weather intelligence. By extending automated weather services to every village, this scheme will enhance agricultural productivity, strengthen policy-making, and give a new dimension to climate science.

Ranjitsingh Rajput
District Information Officer, Nandurbar