Closure of Agromet Units Signals Shift in Weather Advisory Strategy

The India Meteorological Department plans to discontinue services of 199 district agromet units by March 2026, as their scheme period ends. Established in 2018 to support farmers with weather advisories, these units' closure follows a reevaluation recommendation from Niti Aayog prioritizing centralized over field units.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced a forthcoming shutdown of 199 district agromet units, responsible for issuing crucial weather-related advisories to farmers. This move is set to take place on or before March 20, 2026, marking the end of the approved scheme period for these units. The decision follows a reevaluation of the services' necessity and a push for more centralized data collection methods.

Originally, these agromet units were established in 2018 as an extension of the Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva, aimed at providing detailed and localized climate advisories to aid farmers in making informed decisions to reduce crop losses. However, suggestions for replacing field units with centralized ones were made in August 2023 by a senior Niti Aayog advisor.

Despite ongoing court interventions that allowed the units to continue beyond the 2023-2024 financial year, all financial obligations are expected to be settled by 2025-2026 as per IMD's orders. While the agromet units served a vital role, the government has indicated a shift toward establishing a more dependable framework, according to MoES Secretary M Ravichandran.