Rijiju's task cut out - ensure sea trials of Samudrayaan project early 2024

New Delhi: Newly-appointed Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju will have the task to oversee the implementation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project 'Samudrayaan' which plans to take three people to a depth of 6,000 metres for deep-sea exploration.

The first sea trials of Samudrayaan, part of the Deep Ocean Mission, are likely to be held early next year when the Ministry of Earth Sciences plans to send three people to a shallow depth of 500 metres.

Rijiju was named the Earth Sciences minister on Thursday as his Law and Justice portfolio was handed over to Arjun Ram Meghwal.

Rijiju is scheduled to take charge from incumbent Jitendra Singh on Friday.

Modi had mentioned the Deep Ocean Mission in his Independence Day address in 2021 and 2022, opening up avenues for researchers in outer space as well as the depth of oceans.

“The solutions for our future needs lie in the depths of space and oceans,” Modi said in his Independence Day address last year.

“The Samudrayaan project is nearly 70 per cent complete. Hopefully, we can go for sea trials in the first quarter of 2024,” a senior official said.

He said a manned submersible facilitates the direct observation by humans in deep ocean in exploring mineral resources rich in nickel, cobalt, rare earths, manganese and collection of samples, which can be used for analysis.

The Centre had approved the Deep Ocean Mission at a total budget of Rs 4,077 crore for five years. The estimated cost for the first phase for the three years (2021-2024) is Rs 2,823.4 crore.

Apart from the scientific research and technological empowerment, this mission has immediate spin-offs in the form of underwater engineering innovations in asset inspection, tourism and promotion of ocean literacy, the official added.