New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): An indigenous weather forecasting system, called the Bharat Forecast System, was launched under the Ministry of Earth Sciences on Monday.

While speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Jitendra Singh spoke about the development and advancements at the India Meteorological Institute (IMD).

'The time has come to see what our contribution to our target of 2047 will be in the context of IMD... Our focus should be on how much role the IMD plays in bringing the Indian economy at the top, both in terms of preventing potential loss and increasing potential gains,' the Union Minister said.

'Now, IMD's forecasting system is becoming a state-of-the-art... Like in Chennai and Mumbai. The advancements are underway in Delhi, hence, similar arrangements will be made here gradually.'

Singh also informed that IMD's developments will also be focused at grassroots level.

While speaking with ANI, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mahapatra said that the indigenous Bharat Forecast System has been developed by the scientists from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), National Centre for Forecasting, and IMD.

'Bharat Forecast System is a unique and indigenous system. Scientists from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, National Centre for Forecasting, and IMD have developed it,' Mahapatra remarked, adding that the aim of the newly launched weather forecasting system is to make weather forecasting services accessible to a larger public.

Earlier on Sunday, after India officially became the world's fourth-largest economy, Union Minister Jitendra Singh called the achievement 'very good news' for the country, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'farsighted leadership' and the strategic use of technology for the economic progress.

'This is very good news. Thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is the result of the farsightedness with which India has embarked on a development journey for the last 11 years... We were called fragile 5 (economy). Our economy reached the fifth position in no time, and now we are at the fourth position... The reason behind this huge achievement is that for the first time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the country aware of the importance of technology...,' Singh said, praising the Prime Minister's vision.

Union Minister Singh also highlighted the significant psychological shift the milestone has triggered among the Indian public. 'PM Modi took the decisions that were necessary to play India's role in view of the current global environment... Today, a kind of confidence has awakened among the citizens that we all have to come together and bring this journey of developed India to success,' he added. (ANI)