**Executive Summary**
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has been supporting a research project at Andhra University under the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC). The project aims to assess regional climate change and study its impact on agriculture, utilizing climate datasets for hindcast (1970-2005) and future (2020-2049, 2070-2099) time slices. The provided information was given by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **NMSKCC Project:**
* DST supports a research project at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam to assess regional-scale climate change and its impact on agriculture.
* High-resolution (25 km & 10 km) climate datasets are developed for hindcast (1970-2005) and future (2020-2049, 2070-2099) time slices.
* **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.
* **Capacity Building:**
* DST supports Andhra University, two researchers, and six fellows under the project.
* Capacity building facilitated for over 300 researchers in regional climate modeling.
* **Vulnerability Mapping:**
* DST supports a study on vulnerability mapping at the district level across Indian States/UTs, including Andhra Pradesh.
* Andhra Pradesh is categorized as moderately vulnerable, with drivers including lack of forest area and high incidence of water-borne diseases.
* **Future Plans:**
* The Department does not intend to set up any more Centre of Excellence under the Mission.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Andhra University, Visakhapatnam
**Impact:** Beneficiary of research funding and support for climate change assessment and agricultural impact studies.
**Action Required:** Continue research activities as per the project plan.
**Stakeholder:** Researchers and Fellows
**Impact:** Provided with research opportunities and capacity building in regional climate modeling.
**Action Required:** Active participation in the project and utilization of capacity building opportunities.
**Stakeholder:** Indian States/UTs, Including Andhra Pradesh
**Impact:** Beneficiaries of vulnerability mapping studies.
**Action Required:** Review vulnerability mapping data to implement strategies mitigating climate change impacts.
**Stakeholder:** Department of Science and Technology (DST)
**Impact:** Overseeing funding, study on vulnerability mapping and support of the NMSKCC project and its objectives.
**Action Required:** Continue to monitor and manage the project to achieve its desired objectives.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC): A major research project supported by the Department of Science and Technology to assess regional-scale climate change and its impact on agriculture.
Department of Science and Technology (DST): The supporting agency for the NMSKCC project and other related studies.
Andhra Pradesh: A state where the DST has supported an institution, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, under the NMSKCC for research and vulnerability mapping.
Ministry of Science & Technology
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NATIONAL MISSION
ON STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE FOR CLIMATE
CHANGE
Posted On: 11 FEB 2026 1:36PM by PIB Delhi
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 datasets 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.
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.
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.
As of now, the Department does not intend to set up any more Centre of Excellence under the Mission.
This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology
and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on
Wednesday.
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