Union Ministry Starts Making 3D Maps Of 6 Lakh Indian Villages Using Geospatial Technology

The Union government has started to make geospatial technology and drones to map over 6 lakh villages and 100 cities in India. The Union Science and Technology and Space Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that the government would make pan-India 3-dimensional maps. Singh was the Chief Guest at an event to commemorate the first anniversary of the release of the geospatial data. He said that the Prime Minister believed in breaking old taboos and taking bold decisions in unlocking the space sector for private players, joint ventures in Atomic Energy or Drone Policy.

Enabling Private Companies To Prepare Maps

A current scheme piloted by the Panchayati Raj Ministry, called SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas), was announced by the PM in April 2020. The updated guidelines would enable the private companies to prepare a wide range of maps without needing approval from a host of ministries, thus making it easier to use drones and develop applications through location mapping.

Geospatial Market Estimated At Rs 23,345 Crore

The Hindu quoted Singh saying, "trinity of geospatial systems, drone policy and unlocked space sector would be the hallmark of India's future economic progress". He further mentioned that the estimated size of the Indian geospatial market in 2020 was recorded to be ₹23,345 crore, including ₹10,595 crore of export which was likely to grow to ₹ 36,300 crore by 2025.

When the scheme was announced, PM Modi said that the system would allow establishing 'clear ownership' of property in rural areas by mapping the land parcels by using drone technology. Further, the PM had added that the technology would provide a 'record of rights' to eligible households by issuing legal ownership cards to them.

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