Cabinet to take up modernisation of weather office

New Delhi, May 13 (UNI) The Union Cabinet will shortly take up the modernisation of the Meteorological Department to ensure better forecasting.

''The proposal for the modernisation of the Met office at a cost of Rs 900 crore will be taken up by the Cabinet soon,'' Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal told UNI.

''The Department will be fully modernised by 2008,'' he said.

Mr Sibal had announced in the Lok Sabha last month that the government proposed to spend Rs 900-1000 crore on upgrading the facilities of the Met Department.

He had outlined the role of more scientific mapping for better maintenance of security, crop estimates, disaster management and resource finding.

According to official sources, the modernisation plan envisages installing of 42 radars at the Met office against the existing four.

The Department is also expected to see more wind profilers and a super computer, the sources said.

UNI