FM Nirmala Sitharaman announces National Geospatial Mission, allocates Rs 100 crore

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced a Rs 100 crore National Geospatial Mission to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data, a move aimed at modernising land records, aiding urban planning and promoting earth observation systems.

Geospatial refers to data associated with a specific location on the Earth's surface, which is crucial for positioning systems and adding layers of information on a map.

"We will start a National Geospatial Mission to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. Using PM Gati Shakti, this mission will facilitate modernisation of land records, urban planning, and design of infrastructure projects," Sitharaman said.

The finance minister allocated Rs 100 crore for the National Geospatial Mission.

The announcement of the mission was welcomed by the geospatial industry that said it would be crucial for building smarter cities, with data-driven insights.

"The announcement of the National Geospatial Mission shows the growing commitment of the government to use the downstream capabilities of the space tech sector," said Lt Gen AK Bhatt (Retd), the Indian Space Association director general.

"By creating foundational spatial infrastructure, this mission will foster unprecedented innovation opportunities for start-ups, enabling them to solve complex urban and rural challenges with geospatial intelligence," said Divya Kothamasu, founder of N Space Tech, a defence and aerospace start-up.

"The National Geospatial Mission, leveraging the PM Gati Shakti initiative, will develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data which will further enhance the utility of satellite technology for public and national development," said Satcom Industry Association - India director general Anil Prakash.

Pixxel Space co-founder Awais Ahmed said the mission would bolster high-tech domestic production and reinforce India's global leadership.

Esri India managing director Agendra Kumar said, "Users in the government, private sector, and the industry have lived with the lack of good foundational data for a very long time.

I believe this announcement will provide the necessary resources to create geospatial data that will serve as a foundation for social and economic development."