Journalism of Courage
A public private partnership (PPP) project of the state agriculture department to enhance accuracy of weather data for farmers through automatic weather stations (AWS) — ambitious in reach and scale with one AWS planned in each of the 2065 revenue circles in the state — has run into rough weather with the private consultant out of the project. The agriculture commissioner has invited fresh bids from consultants and experts.
In 2012, agriculture minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil announced the project in PPP model and Skymet, India’s first private weather forecasting company, was to be the consultant. AWS aimed at issuing area-specific advisories to farmers that IMD provides at district levels as of now.
Patil had in 2012 criticized India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts. This time, IMD would be on board for the tender process.
Agriculture Commissiner Umakant Dangat stated technical reasons for cancelling the earlier tender. “The issue is very technical and parameters in the tender process have to be technical. As there were issues regarding the process, the tenders had to be scrapped. We have to start the process all over again,” he said.
Asked if Skymet weather services would be part of it, Dangat replied in the negative. When asked for reasons he declined to provide details and said, “As the initial tender was scrapped, the contract automatically stands discharged as per agreement. Government of Maharashtra has to reappoint the consultant for revised AWS tender by bidding process,” he said.
Jatin Singh, director of Skymet services refused to offer any details.
Agriculture officers say AWS would be important for agriculture planning, with drastic changes in weather being seen. “AWS would give area-specific information to help farmers plan their activities,” said a senior agricultureofficer.
