From the era of hand-drawn maps to GPS mapping, we have come a long way in profiling the Earth’s geographic data. Cartography has evolved to a completely new form. Courtesy, the advancements in geospatial technology made it possible to make accurate measurements at a minuscule scale, and that too with least of the possible error. With the ever-increasing use of geospatial technology in almost every domain— agriculture, healthcare, disaster management, climate change, forestry, logistics, climate change studies, defense, resource management, etc.— its significance is realized today as never before.

India has an advanced remote sensing and geospatial knowledge ecosystem. Geospatial technology and its myriad application generate a huge set of data and information that needs to be managed and utilized in the best possible way for the welfare of humanity and for meeting the ongoing and emerging challenges. The 73^rd Constitutional amendment provided for integrating geospatial technology into local-level planning. Geospatial lies at the core of India’s vision of becoming a USD 10 Trillion Economy by 2030.

The National Geospatial Policy, 2021, and the Draft Space Bill are to provide a push to geospatial technology and leverage growth across various sectors of the economy. The geospatial data is to be used for planning and monitoring in such a manner that India realizes its sustainable development goals. The integrated geospatial data is used for the scalability of applications and amplification of impact benefitting all the stakeholders. Geospatial has become the base for innovation in mission-mode projects like National Infrastructure Pipeline, National Hydrology Project, PM Gati Shakti – National masterplan for multimodal connectivity, Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), etc. Thus geospatial technology and the information generated have an ever-increasing role in all sectors of the economy and have an indispensable role in the three pillars of sustainable development—Economy, Social and Environmental.

Read more: https://www.indiascienceandtechnology.gov.in/geospatial-technology

In continuation of the efforts of taking geospatial facilities to the grassroots and making that a day-to-day affair in the service industry, India is hosting the Second United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC 2022), which is being held at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), India, during 10-14 October 2022 with the theme ‘Geo-Enabling the Global Village: No one should be left behind.' It has been convened by the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) and organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations and hosted by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) – Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Stay tuned for more information and live sessions...