Capacity Building of Government Line Departments for Making Use of Geospatial Database in Natural Resource Management in India
Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development: The Department of Space launched a technology demonstration-cum-exploration program for integrated development called Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development (IMSD), in 1987. National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) was identified as nodal agency to implement this ambitious project with the help of Regional Remote Sensing Services Centers and state remote sensing application centers in different parts of the country. The program aims at generating location specific action plan for optimal management of land and water resources using remote sensing technology, contemporary field data and socio-economic profile of the district. The program covered 174 districts spreading across 25 states of the country (National Remote Sensing Agency, 1995).
The GIS Program of National Informatics Center: The main objective of the Geographic Information System of National Informatics Center (GISNIC) is to develop and operationalize management information systems for better coordination and administration of development schemes. GIS based information systems are being developed for the monitoring of the schemes at the district level.
Natural Resources Data Management System: Understanding the data handling and management requirements, Natural Resources Data Management System (NRDMS) program was launched by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India way back in 1982 with vision to provide appropriate scientific and technological inputs for operational-zing the concept of decentralized planning in the country. The main goal of this program is to develop scientific natural resources and socio-economic data base approach to support the local level planning. With the entry of computers at district level and GIS in India during late 1980s the goal of NRDMS program were evolved to develop spatial data management technologies for integrated rural development planning and demonstrate it in local level decision making.
The focus under NRDMS has always been on technological and institutional capacity building in a multi-level framework, so that people can plan their own development, utilizing local resources. In this respect NRDMS develops and provides tools and techniques for analyzing local level natural resources, interpreting their utilization pattern, assessing their potentials and evolving schemes for their sustainable management and development. In spite of national efforts, spanning two decades large segment of end users are yet to explore the full potential of the system and use it in most of their planning activities due to lack of technical, organizational and institutional capacity. In order to reduce these impediments in the widespread use of technology and make it an effective tool in the process of local level integrated planning, NRDMS is focusing its research on simplifying the methods and techniques of data capture, organization and analysis, devise suitable strategy to transfer the techniques for adoption by the end user in their planning activities.
Taking note of the recent trends in the development of spatial data technologies, the emerging changes in the system of governance planning policies, institutionalization of national spatial data infrastructure to meet the aspirations of the users, and in support of the overall transformation in the concept of information sharing, the need was felt for refocusing the R & D thrusts of the program. One of the main aspects of renewed NRDMS approach is the emphasis on the transfer of technology to user agencies and their capacity building.
So far 45 district NRDMS centers located in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Gujarat and North Eastern Region have been working in the country. Out total district NRDMS centers operating in India, as many as 6 are located in Uttaranchal with one each in Almora, Naini Tal, Bageshwer, Chamawat, Tehri Garhwal and Pauri districts of the State. The progress attained by the District NRDMS Center, Naini Tal in Uttaranchal in the capacity building of target users at district and sub-district levels, and also the constraints observed coming in the way of the wider application of GIS technology at district level have been studied and illustrated in the following sections of the paper (Tiwari, 2003b).
NRDMS Center District Naini Tal
The district Nainital in one of the thirteen districts of the newly carved Himalayan State of Uttaranchal in India. It is extending from the low lying foothill belt of Bhabar (Bhabar is gently sloping belt composed of coarse material lying at the foot of Outer Himalaya) in the South to the Lesser Himalayan ranges in the North. The district lies between 290 00 290 45 North Latitudes and 790 00 790 45 East Longitudes (Fig. 1). It encompasses a geographical area of 4767 km2 with a total population of 510542 as per the record of Census of India, 2001. The mountainous tract of the district is situated along the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) the tectonic juncture between the Lesser Himalayan Ranges in the north and the Siwaliks in the south. Geographically, it is a critical zone, in as much as, it lies within the belt of maximum precipitation (298.60 cm), and also shows relief differences of the highest order. These differences are manifest not only in the ecological diversities but also account for the characteristic geomorphic processes operating in the area, and the resultant landscape types. Consequently, the entire area is tectonically active and vulnerable to various natural hazards, particularly, landslides and erosion.
The NRDMS center was set up in district Naini Tal during 1999 2000 by the U.P. Remote Sensing Application Centre, Lucknow with the joint support of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi and the Government of Uttar Pradesh on cost sharing basis (67:33) respectively. Since, Uttaranchal was created as a separate State in November 2000, the progress of the database center became little bit slow due to non-availability of funds from the Government of Uttaranchal. In order to activate the NRDMS Center at Naini Tal, the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India has decided to transfer the database to the Department of Geography, Kumaon University, Naini Tal, Uttaranchal in 2002.
Objectives
The main objectives of the establishment of the NRDMS Center at Naini Tal are as follows:
- Assessment of the data and information needs of government departments at district and sub-district level required for the formulation and implementation of sustainable resource development programs.
- Development of Integrated Natural Resources and Socio-economic Database using Remote Sensing and GIS on the scales of 1:50,000 at district level and 1:12,500 for one selected block.
- Evolve sectoral strategies/ plan for sustainable development addressing location specific problems based on the requirements and priorities of the government line departments.
- Foster linkages with the user-departments at district, sub-district, development block and Panchayat levels through NRDMS activities and programs, and transfer the developed database and technology to them.
- Capacity building of government line departments for making use of the geo-spatial database and GIS technology through technical, organizational and infrastructural support.
Methodology
The following methodological approach has been adopted for the establishment of NRDMS Center at District Naini Tal and capacity building of government line departments for making use of the database created by the Center:
Project Coordination Committee: In order to oversee/ monitor, guide and help in the development of NRDMS Center, a Project Coordination Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate, Naini Tal with the representation of DST (GOI) and representatives of district line departments.
Assessment of the Data Requirement of Line Departments: Users interaction workshop was organized for the assessment of the data and information needs of government line departments, and understanding their development priorities in various resources sectors.
Inventorying Available Information and Data: In order to assess the availability of relevant data on various aspects of natural resources and socio-economic parameters, a thorough survey of the completed as well on going research activities at various, academic institutions, research institutions and development agencies was carried out, and the available data and information on both physical as well as socio-economic parameters was acquired for its conversion into GIS.
Identification of Data Gap: With the detailed survey of the available maps/ reports/ other information available with various line departments/ institutions/ NGOs, the assessment was made to find out the information/ data gaps with respect to various physical and socio-economic parameters.
Generation Natural Resource Data: The information about the physical parameters of natural resources was generated through the on screen visual interpretation of LISS III and PAN merged data of Indian Remote Sensing Satellite supported intensive ground truth surveys and field investigations.
Collection of Socio-economic Information: The socio-economic information with respect to various aspects of natural resources and resources utilization practices, resource demand, infrastructural and institutional facilities was generated and collected from various primary as well as secondary sources. The primary data and information was generated through exclusively designed questionnaires and schedules.