Eight national misssions are to be launched following the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) unveiled last year, Pranab Mukherjee, union minister for finance, announced during the budget presentation in parliament.

According to Mukherjee, the missions represent a multi-pronged, long-term and integrated approach to tackle the menace of climate change.

The national missions were unveiled last year by prime minister Manmohan Singh.

The annual economic survey estimates India spends over 2.6 per cent of its GDP adapting to climate change which affects farm output, creates droughts, storms and floods.

"The NAPCC outlines our strategy to adapt to climate change and enhance the ecological sustainability of our development path," he said.

The budget has proposed increasing the outlay for the National River and Lake Conservation Plans to Rs562 crore in 2009-10 from Rs335 crore in 2008-09. The government has already set up a National Ganga River Basin Authority.