Centre Expands Hyperlocal Weather Network for Agriculture; 16,843 Weather Monitoring Sites Approved Under WINDS
Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) to strengthen crop insurance, farm advisories and climate resilience with hyperlocal weather data across IndiaKey Highlights16,843 Automatic Weather Station (AWS) and Automatic Rain Gauge (ARG) sites approved under
Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) to strengthen crop insurance, farm advisories and climate resilience with hyperlocal weather data across India
Key Highlights
- 16,843 Automatic Weather Station (AWS) and Automatic Rain Gauge (ARG) sites approved under the Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS).
- 892 weather stations have already been installed, while civil work has been completed at 1,188 locations.
- WINDS has been adopted by seven States and Union Territories—Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
- YES-TECH satellite-based yield estimation implemented in 12 States across 344 districts during 2025-26.
- Madhya Pradesh has adopted 100% technology-based yield estimation, while Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have assigned 50% weightage.
- Digital platforms including NCIP, Digiclaim Module and CLAP continue to improve transparency and speed of crop insurance settlements.
- Information shared by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
Government Accelerates Hyperlocal Weather Infrastructure with WINDS Initiative
The Government of India is expanding its digital agriculture ecosystem through the Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS), a nationwide initiative designed to generate hyperlocal weather data for agriculture, crop insurance and disaster preparedness.
WINDS aims to establish a network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARGs) that will provide accurate, long-term weather information to support farmers, insurance providers and multiple climate-sensitive sectors.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, 16,843 monitoring sites have been approved across participating States and Union Territories.
Of these:
- 892 AWS and ARG units have been installed.
- Civil infrastructure has been completed at 1,188 locations.
Currently, the programme is being implemented in Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Satellite Technology Enhances Crop Insurance
The Ministry is simultaneously expanding the Yield Estimation System based on Technology (YES-TECH) under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
Introduced for paddy and wheat from Kharif 2023 and soybean from Kharif 2024, YES-TECH uses satellite imagery and remote sensing for objective crop yield estimation.
During 2025-26, the technology was implemented across:
- 12 States
- 344 districts
Several States have increased reliance on technology-based yield estimation:
| State | Weightage to YES-TECH Yield |
|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh | 100% |
| Maharashtra | 50% |
| Uttar Pradesh | 50% |
| Odisha | 40% |
| Karnataka | 40% |
The Government said regular reviews are being conducted with stakeholders to strengthen implementation and improve claim accuracy.
Digital Insurance Ecosystem Continues to Expand
The Ministry highlighted several technology initiatives aimed at accelerating crop insurance claim settlements.
Key reforms include:
- National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) for online enrolment, subsidy management and direct benefit transfers.
- Digiclaim Module, operational since Kharif 2022, integrating insurance companies with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).
- 12% penalty on insurance companies for delayed claim settlements from Kharif 2024.
- 12% penalty on State Governments for delayed premium subsidy payments from Kharif 2025.
- Mandatory ESCROW Accounts for State Governments to improve financial discipline.
- CCE-Agri App for digital Crop Cutting Experiments.
- Mandatory Crop Loss Assessment App (CLAP) for assessing localized crop damage and post-harvest losses.
Together, these measures are intended to make crop insurance more transparent, technology-driven and responsive to climate-related risks.
Hospitality, Food & Tourism Impact
The expansion of hyperlocal weather monitoring and digital agriculture infrastructure has important implications for India’s hospitality, food and tourism industries.
- Hotels, restaurants and foodservice businesses benefit from more accurate weather forecasting and resilient agricultural production, helping stabilize supplies of fruits, vegetables, grains and other essential ingredients.
- Better crop monitoring reduces uncertainty in food availability, supporting more predictable procurement and menu planning for hospitality operators.
- Reliable weather intelligence can improve planning for vineyards, tea estates, spice plantations and horticulture destinations that attract culinary and experiential tourism.
- Rural and agritourism destinations stand to gain from improved climate preparedness, minimizing disruptions caused by extreme weather events.
- Export-oriented horticulture sectors supported by weather intelligence can strengthen India’s premium food exports, creating opportunities for luxury hospitality brands to showcase high-quality regional produce.
Hospitality Outlook
The rollout of the Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) marks another step toward climate-smart agriculture in India. By combining hyperlocal weather data with satellite-based crop monitoring and digital insurance systems, the initiative is expected to improve agricultural resilience and food supply stability. For the hospitality sector, this translates into stronger farm-to-fork supply chains, enhanced sourcing reliability and greater support for culinary tourism, agritourism and destination-based food experiences.
