Conference Proceedings: National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)

Decision-makers today sieve through a large amount of data. Perception of “spatial” information – information in map format, with proper scales, legend, symbolization, colors etc, enhance the understanding of “information inter-relationships” and thus contribute to a more appropriate locale-specific developmental strategy definition. Once in spatial format, achieved through the organization of a systematic Geographical Information System (GIS) database, merging and integrating layers of information and arriving at “decision alternatives” becomes easy – almost “collapsing” volumes of information layers into a set of understandable and meaningful action plan.

The awareness and utilization of the GIS technology and the power of spatial information systems – specially oriented towards decision-making or resource management is growing rapidly in the country. Over the past few years, Government and Private agencies have invested considerably in establishing GIS databases. The growth of applications around a GIS core has also been increasing and range from mundane mapping applications to integrated analysis for locale-specific development.

In a way, India has had a strong foundation of a spatial data infrastructure – though mainly analog and paper-map based. Traditionally, the central spatial information infrastructure has been managed as a set of discrete mapping responsibilities within several central agencies. The data management role of central agencies has been that of data “stewards” for large homogeneous data sets (more often in paper map form rather than digital data sets). As part of their mandates, these central agencies have collected and published data on maps that were then distributed to specific agencies on request. Relationships with states have been largely limited to ad hoc or cooperative projects with the states generally taking on the role of suppliers of data to the federal agencies.

This set of traditional arrangements is undergoing change, both obvious and subtle. The activities of the central agencies have been established largely as national survey charters, and although these may be initially tied to need, it has been difficult to keep up with changing technologies and changing requirements in the surveying and mapping technologies. Costs are difficult to identify, quantify, or control, and the government finds it increasingly difficult to maintain established programs in the face of constantly increasing pressures on the federal budget. Finally, programs of spatial data creation have often been slow and inadequately funded for data maintenance. As a result, data are often so out of date that their value is seriously compromised. Further, the national agencies have yet to take on the process of format conversion of their data holdings in a digital format – that would make it amenable to better distribution and generation of commerce. The establishment of a NSDI would bring about a thrusted change of these traditional values and provide a new direction of contribution of each of these agencies to a “national resource”.

Public access to spatial information is also a concern. Most government agencies do not have public access mandates. Developmental activities are no more the domain of government agencies. Private sector and NGOs are equally involved in developmental activities, specifically after the liberalization of the economy when large investments from private sector are being done for power, roads, communications, mining, petroleum etc. Further, as developmental activities are not to be considered as restricted to smaller areas and also cannot be “pinned” to locations, information for all areas must be accessible. The “non-access” of spatial information to the private sector is yet another major concern. Private companies see public access as a way to generate a revenue stream and also to generate a market for value-added products.

Comments : Info@GISdevelopment.net