Geospatial Data Services

Geospatial Data Services

Subject: Science & Tech

Context- Only Indian entities will be permitted to carry out mobile-mapping and street-view surveys, and those in Indian territorial waters, Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said in the Lok Sabha.

Concept-

• The Minister said these were part of the “guidelines for acquiring and producing geospatial data and geospatial data services, including maps” issued by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) on February 15, 2021.
• The guidelines envisaged that Indian entities, whether in government or outside, will be free to acquire, collect, generate, prepare, disseminate, store, share, publish, distribute, update, digitise or create geospatial data, including maps, of any spatial accuracy within the territory of India, including underwater within its territorial waters, by using any geospatial technology, subject to regulations on attributes in the negative lists.

Geospatial Policy 2021:

• Geo-Spacial Data: Geospatial data is data about objects, events, or phenomena that have a location on the surface of the earth. It combines Information on:
  • Location,
  • Attribute (the characteristics of the object, event, or phenomena concerned),
  • Temporal or time.
• New Policy:
  • Open Access: to its geospatial data and services, including maps, for all Indian entities, with the exception of sensitive defence or security-related data.
  • Restrictions Removed: There shall be no requirement for security clearance, licence or any other restrictions.

Reason for Deregulation of Geo-Spacial Data:

• Delayed Projects: System of acquiring licenses or permission, and the red tape involved, took months, delaying projects,
• Lack of Data: There is also a huge lack of data in the country which impedes planning for infrastructure, development and businesses which are data-based.
• Changing Needs: Geo-spatial data has now become imperative for the government in planning for infrastructure, development, social development, natural calamities as well as the economy, with more and more sectors such as agriculture, environment protection, power, water, transportation, communication, health (tracking of diseases, patients, hospitals etc) relying heavily on this data
• Global Push: Large amounts of geo-spatial data are also available on global platforms, which make the regulation of data that is freely available in other countries.