Jammu, Sep 12: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday underscored the challenges in accurately predicting earthquakes and cloudbursts, while outlining ongoing efforts to study the factors behind such phenomena in order to provide early warnings.
“There is no exact forecasting capability for earthquakes and cloudbursts yet, but we are studying the contributing factors behind cloudbursts. Typically, when there is humidity and heat at a particular place, it tends to become explosive. If we can identify these contributing factors, we can at least provide possible early warnings,” Singh said during a Vartalap programme organized by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) here.
He added that initiatives such as the Himalayan Ecology Mission have been launched to better understand these natural events. Speaking on improving weather forecasting in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh revealed plans to establish a full-fledged IMD regional centre in Jammu and install four additional weather radars across the Union Territory.
On mineral exploration, Singh discussed the ongoing lithium exploration in Reasi district, stating that the process would be restarted following a lack of response during the initial tendering stage. “Once exploration is carried out, we will know the actual quantity of lithium present. Several specialised companies exist in the country, but perhaps none have come forward so far. We will restart the process,” he said.
Singh also highlighted the exponential growth of startups in India, which has grown from just 350 in 2014 to over 1.5 lakh in 2025, making the country the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. He cited the CSIR-Aroma Mission in J&K, under which more than 3,000 lavender-based startups have been established across rural India, generating income and employment opportunities for thousands of families.
“Jammu can become a hub for the perfume industry if distillation facilities are set up locally rather than outside. We invite the private industry to join hands with us for this,” Singh said. Drawing inspiration from France’s Grasse, a global perfume hub, he added that international collaboration could help add value to local products and better integrate the private sector into this mission.
The Union Minister also lauded the media for its transformative role in highlighting environmental issues and promoting science and technology in the country.
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