Mr. Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, India explained during a tech fair organised by the Department of Science & Technology, National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and FICCI, that a National Geospatial Data Regulatory Authority Bill, to be introduced in the next session of Parliament, is expected to be cleared by the Union Cabinet before February 2009. The bill would create"an independent regulatory authority which will determine and regulate the basis on which data should be used and shared seamlessly amongst the various departments of the government and other stakeholders,” he said.
He also highlighted how 3D data of the hotels attacked last month would have benefit response. Compiling such data, he argued is complex because so many groups need to give approval of fly overs and that international experts needed to lead the work are met with suspicion.
The “India Geoportal,” a “repository of national infrastructure for the availability of and access to organised spatial data” was “launched,” but it does not seem to have a public website at this time; it’s unclear if it ever will.
Other coverage: The Indian
