Panchayat resources information system

A.Ravindran, Dr. M.Ramalingam, M.G.S.M. Zaffar, J.Jaishankar
Institute of Remote Sensing, Anna University, Chennai
E-mail : jai_igs@yahoo.com

Recent technological advances in domain of spatial technology are making considerable impact in planning related activities. This domain of planning is of prime importance for countries like india with varied geographic patterns, cultural activities etc. In the cartographic domain advances in computer hardware and mapping software have already encouraged many planning departments to move from traditional cartographic methods toward digital mapping and geographical information systems (GIS). The purpose of using a GIS is that, maps provide an added dimension to data analysis which brings us one step closer to visualizing the complex patterns and relationships that characterize real-world planning and policy problems. Relationships among neighboring regions in the country are explicit in maps which allows for the visualization of spatial patterns that may be determined by some underlying process. For example, a clustering of high childhood mortality in a number of areas may point to some environmental condition that has caused this pattern. Higher fertility rates in another set of regions may point to a cultural preference for large families. This information could be used to adapt family planning outreach programs. Visualization of spatial patterns also supports change analysis which is important in monitoring of social indicators. This in turn should result in improved needs assessment. More advanced spatial analysis may include the combination of different data layers. Health authorities, for example, may be interested in estimates of the number of children in a certain age group that may be exposed to malaria. Climatic and topographic data can be used to determine the range of malaria mosquitoes. This range is unlikely to follow census boundaries, but in a GIS the two data layers can still be combined to derive the number of children living within the affected areas. In short, the availability of statistical and other information in spatially referenced form and the functions provided by a GIS can allow analyses that were previously too expensive or impossible to perform. The present paper focuses on the utility of a desktop gis designed at our Institute for the Project Panchayat Resources Information System (PRIS) . The Panchayat Resources Information System (PRIS) has been systematically designed on ArcView 3.1 desktop GIS environment using Client-Server architecture, wherein the aspatial data resides on Microsoft Access 97 RDBMS and has been customized using modular design concept in ArcView application development environment such that the PRIS-GIS software becomes a handy tool for arriving at concrete decisions. PRIS-GIS software menu and some sample run of query have been enclosed for Salem and Thanjavur district. The flow of info in PRIS-GIS is depicted below

GIS Overview
A GIS is designed for the collection, storage and analysis of objects and phenomenon where geographic location is an important characteristic or critical to the analysis. Example, the location of a hospital or locations where soil erosion is most severe, is key consideration in using this information. In each case, what it is and where it is must be taken into account.

While, handling and analyzing data that are referenced to a geographic location are key capabilities of a GIS, the power of the system is most apparent when the quantity of data involved is too large to be handled manually. There may be hundreds of factors or thousands of features to be considered, or there may be hundreds of factors associated with each feature or location. These data may exist as maps, tables or even as lists of names and addresses. Such large volumes of data are not efficiently handled using manual methods. However, when these data have been input to a GIS, they can be easily manipulated and analyzed in ways that would be too costly, too time-consuming, or practically impossible to do using manual methods.

The number, type of applications and analyses that can be performed by a GIS are large and diverse based on available geographic data sets. Ultimately, a GIS is used to produce information that is needed by a user, a client. That client may be a person or a group of people. They may be members of the public or representatives of an organization within Government or private industry. Most importantly, the information required by the client provides the fundamental context in which the GIS should function. To be useful to the client, information must be of the right kind and quality presented in an appropriate format for the client to use. The information in a GIS is presented in two basic forms as maps and tables.

GIS will fundamentally change the way of information flows within the organization. This change is more organizational than it is technical. GIS can produce information much more quickly, achieve higher mapping standards and keep data more current.

Why we use a GIS?
A GIS is a powerful tool for handling spatial data. In a GIS, data are maintained in a digital format. As such the data are in a form more physically compact than that of paper maps, tabulation, or other conventional types. Large quantities of data can also be maintained and retrieved at greater speeds at lower cost per unit when computer based system is used. The ability to manipulate, Integrate and analyses the spatial data and its corresponding attributes at high speed is unmatched by any manual methods.

PRIS - SYSTEM Design
The Panchayat Resources Information System (PRIS) has been systematically designed on ArcView 3.1 desktop GIS environment using Client-Server architecture, wherein the aspatial data resides on Microsoft Access 97 RDBMS and has been customized using modular design concept in ArcView application development environment such that the PRIS-GIS software becomes a handy tool for arriving at concrete decisions. PRIS-GIS software menu and some sample run of query have been enclosed for Salem and Thanjavur district. The flow of info in PRIS-GIS is depicted below

STRUCTURE OF PRIS-GIS



Conceptual Design of PRIS

User's Information Requirements
Shared, complete and accurate data are essential in building information systems. It is recognized as one of the most difficult tasks in organizing the database for efficient system development.

Basically, information for PRIS can be classified into two types. Natural Resources Information contains the following.


Spatial Information

Aspatial information refers to associated socio-economic data of Panchayat Villages. The various aspatial information organized in PRIS-GIS are arranged such that the PRIS-GIS becomes a handy tool for arriving at concrete decisions.


Aspatial Information


A.O.I Menu

Some sample run of queries are shown below :


Male vs Female ratio Display Query of Kanniyakuruchi Panchayat Village


Statistics of Landuse, Chitoor Village, Edappadi Taluk


Simple Query depicting the villages of Attur block satisfying the condition SC population > 10%


Combining spatial and apatial data, an output of villages affected by fluoride is shown above.

The said information are organized and can be retrieved as users area of interest (A.O.I) defined to be

• District
• Taluk
• Block
• Urban Local Bodies
• Assembly Constituency
• Parliamentary Constituency

Summary
The system designed proved to be a cost effective desktop GIS implementation for planning related activities, and is successfully implemented in Salem and Thanjavur Districts. Interactions is being made with the user departments in incorporating additional functionalities to the PRIS- GIS system.