 Data standards are important not only to facilitate data sharing, increase interoperability but also in development of customized application for routine planning, monitoring and governance functions - says an official document justifying the need and relevance of putting in place 'data standards'. The industry is in dire need of guidelines for data standards for implementing juggernaut governmental projects. These guidelines are most often formulated by agencies without considering the details of such projects. This process will work better, with a top down approach in the case of geo-spatial industry, where most of the data sets are used for projects carried out in close cooperation with the government. In the Indian context, agencies are moving towards standardising spatial data set. Norms will have to be laid down for inter-departmental sharing of direct resources, to standardise the practice of data creation and later for data audit. Integration of data planning and business planning are considered the best practices in data management. Let us hope and gear-up for cooperative data management amongst various governmental organisations, who would be utilising a common minimum adherence to standards to facilitate 'national' data integration. The spurt in developmental activities on the urban front in most of the Asia-pacific cities, is a direct outcome of the stable and robust economic policies being implemented. The changing urban landscape is either in the form of amoeboid pseudopodia growth or a well structured upgrade and growth. The former is a result of populist land development policies, where the basic principles of urban planning are ignored. In India, the 'lal dora', areas, a much abused term that is a relic or the 'Raj', are protected and restricted areas. Due to stringent development plan rules, these areas have been forced to be kept out of the present phase of urban development. The outcome is, - sharp social disparity, ghettoeism and a higher crime rate in these areas. The urban development policies should take into account numerous elements from the past and present, which can pave the way for unhindered and rapid, multidisciplinary development. |
