(a) whether the Government has acquired or proposed to acquire Polar Research Vessel;
(b) if so, the details in this regard and the present status of such proposal; and
(c) the manner in which the country will be benefited by such an acquisition in their research mission?
MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) Yes, Madam. It is proposed to acquire Polar Research Vessel.
(b) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in its meeting held on 29th October 2014 approved the Revised Cost Estimates (RCE) for acquisition of a Polar Research Vessel (PRV) at an estimated expenditure of Rs. 1051.13 crore. An administrative order in favour of the implementing agency National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa for acquisition of PRV has been issued on 14th November 2014.
(c) The vessel will help in sustaining two Indian research bases in Antarctica (Maitri and Bharti); dovetail research initiatives in the Southern Ocean domain with those in the proximal regions of the Antarctic continent; widen the thrust on Arctic research disciplines, undertaken through Indian Station Himadri; and will also provide a suitable research platform for other ocean programmes.