NEW DELHI, India, February 12 (ANI): The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the Puducherry Department of Science, Technology and Environment on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance marine research, infrastructure development, and blue economy initiatives in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi by M. Ravichandran, Secretary, MoES, and Sharat Chauhan, Chief Secretary of the Government of Puducherry. The collaboration follows high-level discussions between Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh and Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan to address regional maritime priorities, according to an official release.
The MoU establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation across six strategic areas aimed at promoting sustainable development and climate adaptation.
Under sustainable marine fisheries, the partnership will focus on enhancing livelihoods through the promotion of deep-sea fishing, seaweed cultivation, and the identification of migratory routes and fishing grounds.
In offshore wind energy, feasibility studies will be conducted and end-to-end technical support provided to help diversify Puducherry’s energy portfolio toward renewable sources.
The agreement also includes deployment of seawater desalination plants with MoES technical support to address freshwater scarcity in coastal areas.
To strengthen ocean climate advisory and real-time monitoring, a dedicated observation infrastructure will be established in Puducherry to improve forecasting and climate-resilient planning.
Permanent coastal management measures will be implemented through science-based shoreline monitoring and erosion control initiatives to safeguard the coastline.
Additionally, the Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) pilot framework will be upgraded into a fully functional model integrating offshore wind development, resource mapping, and other marine sectors.
M. Ravichandran, Secretary, MoES, said the partnership reflects the ministry’s commitment to using science for the benefit of coastal communities.
“By integrating MoES’s technical expertise with Puducherry’s strategic maritime location, we are not only addressing immediate challenges like coastal erosion and expanding ocean services but also laying the foundation for a robust, sustainable Blue Economy. Our focus remains on delivering end-to-end support — from real-time climate monitoring to the operationalization of advanced desalination and renewable energy technologies,” he said.
Both parties will designate nodal officers and establish joint working groups to oversee project implementation. The MoU will remain in effect for an initial period of five years, with progress reviews conducted at least annually.
Among those present at the signing were M.V. Ramana Murthy, Mission Director of the Deep Ocean Mission; D. Senthil Pandian, Joint Secretary, MoES; Dr. Vijay Kumar, Scientist G and Adviser, MoES; Balaji Ramakrishnan, Director of the National Institute of Ocean Technology; and officials from the Government of Puducherry and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the release added. (ANI)
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