China's central government is to launch a special fund to support weather modification operations by local authorities in areas prone to drought and haze, according to a Ministry of Finance announcement on Tuesday.

It is the first such resource to subsidize local efforts to adjust the weather, with 160 million yuan ($25.4 million) allocated to the fund arranged through the central government budget.

According to a joint statement from the ministry and the China Meteorological Administration, State subsidies for weather modification are designed to bring about artificial rain and snow, to prevent hail, and to reduce snow and fog by using aircraft, guns and rockets.

Provincial-level governments should support weather modification with local revenue and can apply for a national allowance only after they have run into fiscal problems, according to the statement.
 

Source:english.sepa.gov