Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday chaired the third General Body meeting of the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in New Delhi, where he reviewed the institute’s scientific work and set directions for its future programmes in coastal and marine conservation.
Yadav reviewed NCSCM’s research across coastal ecosystem assessment, climate resilience, marine habitat restoration and integrated coastal zone management. The General Body called for deeper integration of traditional knowledge, stronger engagement with coastal communities and a tighter link between scientific outputs and policy needs. It also asked NCSCM to finalise its long-term vision document in line with the Viksit Bharat 2047 framework.
The meeting emphasised strengthening the scientific cadre by filling critical positions and bringing in new talent to address emerging coastal and marine challenges. Members discussed the institute’s progress on laboratory accreditations through the Quality Council of India and other regulatory bodies. NCSCM noted that it has completed 79 coastal regulation and shoreline management projects and is currently working on 291 projects under National Coastal Mission 2.0 and other programmes.
During the meeting, Yadav released three knowledge products developed by NCSCM: a protocol for assessing mangrove forest structure, a mangrove fact sheet and a salt marsh fact sheet. The documents aim to improve understanding of coastal habitats and support evidence-based conservation and management.
