The government is in the process of using geospatial technology and drones to map over six lakh villages as well as prepare pan-India 3D maps of 100 Indian cities, Union science and technology and space minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.
Commemorating the first anniversary of the release of geospatial data, the minister said, “The trinity of geospatial systems, drone policy and unlocking of the space sector will be the hallmark of India’s future economic progress.”
He said open call for empanelment of geospatial companies by the Survey of India for mapping six lakh villages under the ‘Svamitva’ scheme and the launch of pan-India 3D maps programme by Genesys International for 100 cities, based on the concept of digital twins are “historic and revolutionary in nature”.
The minister also drew attention to the launch of Indo ArcGIS by Esri India to address the need for ready-to-use GIS-based solution products and content in the areas of forest management, disaster management, electrical utilities, land records, water distribution and property taxation.
Calling the exercise of mapping villages and cities a “game-changer decision”, the minister also said that India’s geospatial policy will be announced soon.
Singh said geospatial technologies are the nation’s “digital currency” that find dynamic application in multiple sectors such as infrastructure, manufacturing, health, agriculture, urban planning, highways and service delivery. He said the size of Indian geospatial market in 2020, as per an industry estimate, is Rs 23,345 crore, including Rs 10,595 crore export, which is likely to grow to Rs 36,300 crore by 2025.
He said open and easy access to geospatial information has helped in maximising the use and reuse of data within a year of its launch. “We hope to see many more innovative solutions and new business models in the coming times building value upon existing resources,” Singh said. The focus will be to strengthen the innovative startup ecosystem with huge financial implications and job generation, he added.
