Harsh Vardhan inaugurates Gagan Messaging Service

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Harsh Vardhan inaugurates Gagan Messaging Service
Harsh Vardhan inaugurates Gagan Messaging Service

Shri Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences today inaugurated ‘GAGAN Enabled Mariners Instrument for Navigation and Information’  (GEMINI) jointly developed by AAI and INCOIS  in the presence of Sh. Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Dr. M. Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences; Dr. S. S. C. Shenoi, Director, INCOIS and Sh. Anuj  Aggarwal, Chairman, Airport Authority of India at Prithvi Bhavan, New Delhi.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) in coordination with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the Ministry of Science & Technology has implemented a unique concept of sending short messages namely ‘GAGAN Messaging Service’ (GMS) through GAGAN system without affecting or changing the standard Satellite-based Augmentation System (SBAS) message structure. Both the organisations, though engaged in very different areas of work, have set up a good example in finding a common ground, to make complex technologies available for the use of fishermen in India.

The short message transmission through GAGAN system is particularly very useful to fishing community deployed in deep seas and to personnel in mountainous regions where there is no mobile service coverage/non availability of conventional communication systems.

By using a GMS-enabled receiver, the users can directly receive informative/alert messages and forecasts by various Indian Government agencies like the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) and Snow & Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) on the occurrence of natural disasters, calamities, dangers for the safety of life within GAGAN coverage area.

INCOIS has developed a Mobile App called GEMINI which can be used by a mobile connected to a GMS receiver with WiFi/Bluetooth for display of broadcasted messages in various Indian regional languages. Due to wider coverage of GAGAN satellites over the Indian Ocean region, GEMINI can deliver the information in the whole of Indian Ocean and beyond.

While inaugurating GEMINI, the Hon. Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences said, “I am happy that INCOIS joined hands with AAI and developed GAGAN Enabled Mariner’s Instrument for Navigation and Information (GEMINI) and worked out the technical procedures to uplink/downlink the information through GAGAN Systems”.

He further added that “Potential fishing zones (PFZ) advisories have become part of the value chain of the fishing community and about 6.75 lakh active fishermen are regularly accessing advisories through information disseminated by INCOIS.  Dissemination of alert/early warning messages and also PFZ Forecast Services will be very useful for fishermen community in the coastal areas of our country, when their locations are based beyond the mobile coverage.”

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