Context:

• The Cabinet approved a scheme aimed at stepping up ocean research and setting up early warning weather systems.

About‘Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)’ scheme

• O-SMART scheme encompasses 16 sub-projects related to ocean development activities and science for implementation during 2017-18 and 2019-20.

Key Highlights of the scheme:

• The important deliverables envisaged in the next two years include strengthening of ocean observations, modelling, ocean services for fishermen, setting up marine coastal observatories for tracking marine pollution in 2018, setting up Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Plant (OTEC) in Kavaratti in Lakshadweep.
• The services rendered will provide economic benefits to a number of user communities in the coastal and ocean sectors, namely, fisheries, offshore industry, coastal states, Defence, Shipping, Ports etc. 
• The scheme also includes the acquisition of two coastal research vessels, the continuation of ocean survey and exploration of minerals and living resources, technology development for deep ocean mining- and setting up six desalination Plants in Lakshadweep
• It will help in reducing the search time for fishermen resulting in savings in the fuel cost. 
• This scheme also provides necessary scientific and technological background required for implementation of various aspects of Blue Economy. 
• The State of Art Early Warning Systems established under the O-SMART Scheme will help in effectively dealing with ocean disasters like Tsunami, storm surges. 
• The technologies being developed under this Scheme will help in harnessing the vast ocean resources of both living and non-living resources from the seas around India. 

Source:PIB