SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has asked its various departments toc collaborate with Survey of India (SOI) to meet their geospatial data requirements, such as land records updation/modernization, forest boundaries survey, disaster management, irrigation, transportation, and water resources.
As per the official documents, the Government of India announced the implementation of the National Geospatial Policy (NGP) in December 2022. Under this policy, the Survey of India (SoI) has been designated as the central agency responsible for managing geospatial data. SoI has been tasked with maintaining various datasets including the National Geodetic Reference Frame (NGRF), Orthoimagery, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Functional Areas (Administrative Boundaries), and Geographic Names (Toponymy). Additionally, SoI will develop and operate the Unified Geospatial Interface (UGI) and the National Geospatial Data Registry (NGDR) to provide user-oriented products, applications, services, and solutions using geospatial data.
Reports inform that SoI has a dedicated online maps portal where topographical maps and data are freely available for download and use by government agencies. Recently, SoI has operationalized Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) across the country, providing precise positioning services for surveying and mapping activities. The CORS services are available online and free of cost.
Furthermore, SoI has collaborated with various state and central government ministries/departments for large-scale mapping projects and capacity building in geospatial technology and sciences. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with several state governments and central government ministries to facilitate surveying, mapping, and parcel mapping requirements. Notably, SoI has also entered into an MoU with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) for the implementation of the SVAMITVA scheme.(KNO)
