New Geo-Spatial Data Policy and Its implications

New Geo-Spatial data Policy and its implications

Recently the Ministry of Science and Technology released new guidelines for the Geo-spatial sector in India, which deregulates existing protocol and liberalises the sector to a more competitive field. In this article we are going to discuss mainly What is Geo-Spatial data? Why has the government deregulated geo-spatial data? etc.

About Geospatial data

Geospatial data is data about objects, events, or phenomena that have a location on the surface of the earth. The location may be static in the short-term, like the location of a road, an earthquake event, malnutrition among children, or dynamic like a moving vehicle or pedestrian, the spread of an infectious disease. Man-made or natural objects (or features) can get linked to location and act as geospatial data.

The geospatial data can be static, like the location of a road, an earthquake event, malnutrition among children, etc. or dynamic like a moving vehicle or pedestrian, the spread of an infectious disease.

Present policy on geo-spatial data

There are strict restrictions on the collection, storage, use, sale, dissemination of geo-spatial data and mapping under the current regime.

The policy had not been renewed in decades and has been driven by internal as well as external security concerns.

The sector so far is dominated by the Indian government as well as government-run agencies such as the Survey of India and private companies need to navigate a system of permissions from different departments of the government (depending on the kind of data to be created) as well as the defence and Home Ministries, to be able to collect, create or disseminate geo-spatial data.

Major applications of Geospatial data

1. Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation: Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation is one of the biggest applications of geospatial data. From Google Maps to product delivery at home, everything is linked with geospatial mapping today. The data can also aid in marine and aerial navigations.
2. Disaster Management: Geospatial data can help in making data-backed decisions. Apart from that, it will also help in creating contingency plans and foreseeing any obstacles the rescue team might face.
3. Humanitarian Relief: Using Geospatial data, one can decide where change can be brought to improve living conditions, standards of living, or even spaces where basic amenities are missing. Thus, poverty, hunger, and sanitation can be identified and solved strategically.
4. Improved efficiency in various sectors:Geospatial mapping can improve identifying and managing natural resources. They can reduce cost savings in the logistics sector, mining sector etc.
5. Better effectiveness of services:Geospatial mapping can improve transparency in citizen services by government and private sector. The private sector can identify the potential market for their product and services. On the other hand, the government can identify the target area for a scheme. Defence sector can identify the potential targets and manpower required.

Why has the government deregulated geo-spatial data?

This system of acquiring licenses or permission, and the red tape involved, can take months, delaying projects, especially those that are in mission mode – for both Indian companies as well as government agencies. The deregulation eliminates the requirement of permissions as well as scrutiny, even for security concerns. Indian companies now can self-attest, conforming to government guidelines without actually having to be monitored by a government agency- these guidelines therefore place a great deal of trust in Indian entities.

How India is governing the Geo-spatial information?

The government had a near-monopoly regarding the collection, storage, use, sale, dissemination of geo-spatial data and mapping. This was because of concerns over internal as well as external security threats. The Kargil war highlighted the vulnerabilities of depending on foreign data and the need for indigenous sources of data. After that, the government heavily invested in Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping.

Advantages of Geo-spatial data liberalisation

1. Deregulation will ensure a level playing field by providing more accurate data available to both the government and private agencies.
2. It will promote the setting up of new Startups and businesses especially in the sector of e-commerce or geospatial based apps. This will increase employment in these sectors.
3. It also promotes the building of indigenous apps. For example, an Indian version of Google Maps like ‘MapmyIndia’.
4. With data collection companies working with the Indian government on various sectoral projects are more likely to increase in public-private partnerships.
5. It will also boost the economy by attracting investments both in the geospatial sector and in other sectors as well.

Tips to improve India’s geospatial data handling capability

1. The government can make consent mandatory for companies acquiring data from the individual wherever it is relevant and feasible. Like the consents required by a mobile application requesting permissions.
2. The government can also consider the saving of geospatial data in the form of Geo-masking techniques when the private company completed the intended project. Like the government rolled out masked Aadhar after the completion of the Aadhar project.
3. Building privacy by design: The government has to pass the Data Protection Bill. This will make the data collecting private companies accountable if they violate data privacy.
4. Using a risk assessment framework and making contingency plans for any violation. But for doing that India needs to train enough manpower (geospatial experts). The government can form a committee to formulate a contingency plan.