President Droupadi Murmu has stressed the need to make the country’s forecasting system foolproof and more accurate so that the loss of lives due to disasters can be minimized. Addressing the gathering after presenting the National Geoscience Awards at Rashtrapati Bhawan today, the President mentioned the loss of lives due to disasters such as landslides and floods in different parts of the country. She added that the National Landslide Forecasting Centre is being set up in Kolkata to issue early warning bulletins for all landslide-prone states.

President Murmu said that it is important for India to become self-reliant in mineral production to become a developed nation by 2047. The President highlighted that several steps have been taken for the development of the mineral sector. She said that the reforms and innovations being undertaken in the country are not only promoting economic development but also addressing environmental protection.

The President presented the National Geoscience Awards to 21 geoscientists in twelve categories. The National Geoscience Award is one of the oldest and most prestigious national awards in the field of geosciences, instituted by the Ministry of Mines in 1966. The objective of these awards is to honor individuals and teams for extraordinary achievements and outstanding contributions in various fields of geosciences-mineral discovery and exploration, mining technology and mineral beneficiation, and fundamental geosciences.