Explained | All about the National Geospatial Policy 2022

The National Geospatial Policy lists ambitious targets to be achieved by 2035, but will the policy be enough to revolutionise the field?

The story so far: After making waves with liberalisation in the field of geospatial data in 2021, the government notified the 2022 National Geospatial Policy on December 28, 2022, for implementation with immediate effect. The policy was earlier approved by the Union Cabinet on December 16.

The new Geospatial Policy will replace the National Map Policy, 2005. It aims to strengthen the location-centric industry to support the information economy. It uses guidelines for acquiring and producing geospatial data and related services including maps, issued by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in February 2021, as its foundation. The DST guidelines deregulated the geospatial sector and liberalised the acquisition, production, and access of data in the field. Building on it, the 2022 policy lays down a framework for the development of a geospatial ecosystem, including goals and strategies to achieve it.

Geospatial data are descriptions of events or occurrences with a location on or near the surface of the earth. This location can be static – relating to earthquakes, vegetation, etc., or dynamic – a person walking on the road, a package being tracked, etc.

The location data obtained is usually combined with other characteristic attributes or recorded parameters to provide meaningful insights in the form of geospatial data.

The National Geospatial Policy lists the following targets to be achieved before 2035.

With the National Geospatial Policy, the government aims to employ geospatial technology and data towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The policy emphasises the importance of locally available and locally relevant maps and geospatial data.

It also aims to support innovation and creation in the field, “bridging the geospatial data divide”. It seeks to create long-term, sustainable geospatial information management through capacity development and education programmes.