Context: Recently, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has informed about the progress of O-SMART Scheme. 
About the Scheme

• The Ocean Services, Modelling, Applications, Resources and Technology (O-SMART) Scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2018 and is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• It is an umbrella scheme which encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities such as Services, Technology, Resources, Observations and Science.
• Recognizing the importance of implementing schemes that are highly multi-disciplinary in the ocean sector keeping in mind national interests and international commitments, the Ministry had proposed to continue the existing schemes in a focused way as a part of the O-SMART umbrella scheme.

Objectives of the scheme

• To generate and regularly update information on Marine Living Resources and their relationship with the physical environment in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• To periodically monitor levels of seawater pollutants for health assessment of coastal waters of India, to develop shoreline change maps for assessment of coastal erosion due to natural and anthropogenic activities.
• To develop a wide range of state-of-the-art ocean observation systems for the acquisition of real-time data from the seas around India.
• To generate and disseminate a suite of user-oriented ocean information, advisories, warnings, data and data products for the benefit of society.
• To develop high-resolution models for ocean forecast and reanalysis system.
• To develop algorithms for validation of satellite data for coastal research and to monitor changes in the coastal research.
• To develop technologies to tap the marine bioresources, to generate freshwater and energy from the ocean, and develop underwater vehicles and technologies.
• To establish a ballast water treatment facility.
• To support operation and maintenance of 5 Research vessels for ocean survey/monitoring/technology demonstration programmes.
• To establish a state of the art seafront facility to cater to the testing and sea trial activities of ocean technology.

Additional Information
About Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC)

• It was established at Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad.
• It aims to provide timely tsunami advisories to stake holders and has functioned flawlessly since its establishment in October 2007.
• It is also providing tsunami services to 25 Indian Ocean Countries as part of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO framework.
• It is also coordinating with coastal States/UTs to implement Tsunami Ready Programme, a concept introduced by UNESCO, at community level.

About INCOIS

• INCOIS has introduced several innovative concepts in tsunami modeling, mapping of coastal inundation, Decision Support System, SOPs to meet the emerging challenges and provide accurate and timely tsunami early warnings.
• INCOIS has established a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) & Strong Motion Accelerometers in Andaman and Nicobar Islands for quick and reliable estimation of source parameters for near source earthquakes.
• In addition, INCOIS has carried out Multi-hazard Vulnerability Mapping (MHVM) along the mainland of Indian coastland MHVM atlas has been prepared.
• The ITEWC, INCOIS regularly conducts workshops, training sessions and tsunami mock exercises to create awareness and preparedness about the tsunamis.
• ITEWC is also coordinating with coastal States/UTs to implement Tsunami Ready Programme, a concept introduced by UNESCO, at community level.
• Odisha has implemented the programme in two villages (Venkatraipur and Noliasahi) and based on the national board recommendation, IOC (UNESCO) recognized these villages as Tsunami ready communities.
• We have better Tsunami prediction models at ITEWC and INCOIS is continuously working towards improving its accuracy.