In an interview to i4d, Kapil Sibal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Ocean Development highlighted the importance of a national mapping policy, to be unveiled in the next six months.

Access to geographic information is a central policy issue in most of the developing countries. How do you see your Ministry’s role with regard to present situation of science and technology?
India has a long history of high quality and relevant research and development. In contemporary age, the role of science and technology is paramount in any country’s development, whatever is the nature of state of affairs economically or socially. Starting with agriculture, we need to double our food production and ensure better quality inputs to our farmers. Reforming the health sector is itself a challenge. Infrastructure development is another area to be taken seriously since this sector holds the key to development. Going by figures in layman terms, demographically 67 per cent of our population resides in rural areas and is involved in agriculture and rural industry, which contributes to about 20 per cent to the GDP. Even the manufacturing sector is in poor state, contributing just around 30 per cent towards the GDP. The service sector takes a lead with 50 per cent. Is it that 700 million people who do not contribute to the wealth of the nation? When it comes to the problem of illiteracy we find that 60 per cent subsidizes the rest 40 per cent of the population. In this entire scenario, the Ministry has a vital role to address every sector independently and support for its progress.

How do you see the growth of knowledge-based industry and its role in society?
If the 19th and 20th centuries demanded investments in the form of capital, the 21st century needs knowledge as an investment. Knowledge accumulation, management and dissemination have to be ensured for various sectors. The role of ICT and various tools are fundamental in this aspect and the large pool of scientific community in India needs to be tapped. The government has to make investments to raise the technical know-how. For example, the farmers are to be made aware of latest farming practices and this was how the first Green Revolution took place.

Do you think that the Survey of India’s range of maps is adequate for urban and regional planners? What is your opinion on moving towards 1: 5,000 or 1:10,000 scale maps or need based maps?
We have maps of scales lower than 1:50,000 for rural areas. It is true that we need good maps for urban areas. SoI alone cannot complete the task of mapping. It will have to delegate the work to private entrepreneurs so that within couple of years we have the entire data on the required scale. Having data on the right scale is not enough; it should be supplemented by data from other government departments. It has to be tailor-made for use by each department in the country. We need a road map – a broad general mapping all over India on required scales that would require the expertise from the public as well as the private parties. I would like to have a public-private partnership that benefits all the stakeholders involved.

What are your views on the need of a National Map Policy?
A national map policy shall be a very essential step in this domain. There are some concerns with the Ministry of Defence that are being worked out on the application and usage of aerial photography. There also some problems at the state level with respect to cadastral data. What we have contemplated is a National Map Policy. We would be moving the Cabinet for its approval. Once the policy comes in place we can make the state governments realise the benefits of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the fields of planning and infrastructure development for change. We look forward to public-private partnerships to achieve this.

Cadastral maps in India are almost out dated by decades. Do you think SoI can or should play a role in this aspect?
Land is a state subject and doesn’t directly fall under the purview of SoI. Updated cadastral maps are very much necessary and key to many development and grassroots level work. Cooperation from the state governments or a centre-state partnership is needed. Rural India has assets but in the absence of titles and ownerships that are not recorded it is not saleable asset. The National Map Policy shall now set the ball rolling .

The process of setting up a spatial data infrastructure of large scale database requires techniques and collaboration. What policy directions would you suggest?
I think India has the technology to set up such spatial database infrastructure for large scale datasets. It is a matter of collaboration to get it implemented and make it sharable in the global arena of standards. In terms of policy, we should have transparent policy, subject to the concerns of security that invites both the private and the government departments working together.