Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, all citizens, companies, and organizations including Government agencies, producing Geospatial Data and information shall be encouraged to collaborate in mutually beneficial manner and work towards open-linked Geospatial Data
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the guidelines on Geospatial Data
Released in February, 2021 envisages that all citizens, companies, and organizations including Government agencies, producing Geospatial Data and information shall be encouraged to collaborate in mutually beneficial manner and work towards open-linked Geospatial Data.
In a statement laid on the table of the Lok Sabha in reply to a question, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Government agencies will make all efforts to collaborate for acquiring Geospatial Data. He said, further policy decisions are being deliberated upon to promote start-ups and Small-Medium Enterprises in the geospatial mapping sector.
As per the “Guidelines for acquiring and producing Geospatial Data and Geospatial Data Services including Maps” issued by Department of Science & Technology (DST) on 15th February, 2021, nothing contained in these guidelines shall confer on any individual or an entity a right to physical access including through aerial/territorial water route to any establishment, installation or premises to which access is restricted by the Ministry/Department concerned as the owner of such premises. Further, there shall be a negative list of sensitive attributes that would require regulation before anyone can acquire and/or use such attribute data. The negative list of attributes will include attributes that shall not be marked on any Map i.e. no personal or legal entity shall identify or associate any location on a Map with a prohibited attribute. The Guidelines also envisages that Indian Entities, whether in Government or outside, will be free to acquire, collect, generate, prepare, disseminate, store, share, publish, distribute, update, digitize and/or create Geospatial Data, including Maps, of any spatial accuracy within the territory of India including underwater within its territorial waters by using any Geospatial Technology, subject to regulations on attributes in the negative lists. Terrestrial Mobile Mapping survey, Street View survey and surveying in Indian territorial waters shall be permitted only for Indian Entities irrespective of accuracy.
