India to launch Rs 10,000-crore Deep Ocean Mission in December

Titagarh: India plans to launch a Rs 10,000-crore Deep Ocean Mission in December to carry out research to harness ocean resources in a 'responsible manner', an official said on Tuesday.

Ministry Secretary Madhavan Nair Rajeevan said, "A deep sea research centre is coming up. We are going to launch an interdisciplinary and interministerial Deep Ocean Mission. The Ministry of Earth Sciences is preparing a proposal that will be put before the Cabinet for approval."

"It will not only involve the ministry, but also other ministries like Department of Science and Technology and Department of Biotechnology," he further said.

Rajeevan said major components of the project were deep ocean energy, desalination plant along the Chennai coast, deep sea science and fisheries, minerals and polymetallic nodules.