**Executive Summary**
This document is the response to Unstarred Question No. 2014 in Lok Sabha, answered on February 11, 2026, regarding the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC) activities in Andhra Pradesh. The Minister of State for Science and Technology provides details on activities, funding, supported researchers, and the status of establishing Centers of Excellence in the state. The response outlines the work conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in Andhra Pradesh under the NMSKCC.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Research Activities:**
* DST has supported a major research project at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, under NMSKCC.
* The project assesses regional-scale climate change and its impact on agriculture.
* High-resolution climate datasets (25 km & 10 km) have been developed for hindcast (1970-2005) and future time slices (2020-2049 and 2070-2099).
* **Funding:**
* A total of Rs. 1.84 Crores was sanctioned to Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.
* Rs. 1.05 Cr., Rs. 0.33 Cr., and Rs. 0.43 Cr. were released and utilized in 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20, respectively.
* **Researchers and Institutions:**
* DST has supported Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, with two researchers and six fellows.
* The project has facilitated capacity building for over 300 researchers in regional climate modelling.
* **Vulnerability Study:**
* DST supported a study mapping vulnerability at the district level across Indian States/UTs, including Andhra Pradesh.
* The study categorizes Andhra Pradesh as moderately vulnerable, citing lack of forest area per 1,000 rural population and high incidence of water-borne diseases as major drivers.
* **Centers of Excellence:**
* The Department currently has no plans to establish additional Centers of Excellence under the Mission.
**Impact Analysis**
**Andhra University, Visakhapatnam**
* **Impact:**
* Beneficiary of DST support for climate change research.
* Receives funding for research projects under NMSKCC.
* Has researchers and fellows supported by the DST under the mission.
* **Action Required:**
* Continue conducting research related to regional-scale climate change.
* Utilize climate datasets developed through DST support.
* Facilitate capacity building in regional climate modelling.
**Researchers and Fellows (2 researchers and 6 fellows at Andhra University)**
* **Impact:**
* Benefit from research opportunities and financial support under NMSKCC.
* Gain experience in regional climate modelling and assessment.
* **Action Required:**
* Participate actively in research projects.
* Contribute to capacity building initiatives.
**Department of Science and Technology (DST)**
* **Impact:**
* Responsible for funding and overseeing NMSKCC projects in Andhra Pradesh.
* Gathers information on vulnerability assessments in the region.
* **Action Required:**
* Continue monitoring the progress of ongoing projects.
* Utilize vulnerability assessment data for planning and policy-making.
**Government of Andhra Pradesh**
* **Impact:**
* Receives research output on climate change impacts.
* Can use the research to inform policy.
* Aware of vulnerability to climate change.
* **Action Required:**
* Incorporate the findings of vulnerability studies into regional development plans.
* Address the identified drivers of vulnerability (lack of forest area, water-borne diseases).
Key Entities Referenced
National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC): A national mission focused on strategic knowledge for climate change, aiming to study climate change impacts and vulnerabilities.
Department of Science and Technology (DST): The department responsible for supporting research projects under the NMSKCC, specifically in Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh: Indian state where NMSKCC activities, funding, and vulnerability studies are focused.
Andhra University: The university in Visakhapatnam that received funding for a major research project under the NMSKCC.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2014
ANSWERED ON 11/02/2026
NATIONAL MISSION ON STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE FOR CLIMATE
CHANGE
2014. SHRI BASTIPATI NAGARAJU:
Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to
state:
(a) the details of the activities undertaken in Andhra Pradesh under
the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change
(NMSKCC), including establishment of research networks, data-sharing
infrastructure and- knowledge-centres in the State;
(b) the details of the funds sanctioned, released and utilized for
NMSKCC projects in Andhra Pradesh, year-wise;
(c) the number of institutions, researchers and fellowships supported
under NMSKCC in Andhra Pradesh along with the details of the
deliverables achieved (such as modelling studies, adaptation
technologies, region- specific assessments); and
(d) whether the Government plans to designate new institutions in
Andhra Pradesh as centres of excellence under the Mission and if so, the
details of the location, timeline and funding?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has supported
a major research project at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam under the
National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC),
to assess regional-scale climate change and study the impact on
agriculture. Under the study, high-resolution (25 km & 10 km) climate
Page 1 of 2datasets over the Indian sub-continent for the hindcast period (1970-
2005) and for the future time slices (2020-2049 and 2070-2099) have been
developed with the help of models.
(b) A total of Rs. 1.84 Crores was sanctioned to Andhra University,
Visakhapatnam. An amount of Rs. 1.05 Cr., Rs. 0.33 Cr. and Rs. 0.43 Cr.,
were released and utilized in the years 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20,
respectively.
(c) In Andhra Pradesh, DST has supported one institution i.e. Andhra
University, Visakhapatnam, two (2) researchers and six (6) fellows
through a major research project under NMSKCC. In addition, this project
also facilitated the capacity building of more than 300 researchers on
various aspects of regional climate modelling. Further, DST has
supported a study under the Mission to conduct vulnerability mapping at
the district level across various Indian States/UTs, including Andhra
Pradesh. According to this study, Andhra Pradesh comes under the
moderately vulnerable category, with major drivers identified as lack of
forest area per 1,000 rural population and high incidence of water-borne
diseases.
(d) As of now, the Department does not intend to set up any more
Centre of Excellence under the Mission.
*****
Page 2 of 2