In a significant move to strengthen India’s scientific and technological framework, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh proposed the establishment of a National Geospatial Data Repository and advocated for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model during a joint meeting of all Science Ministries and Departments of the Government of India. The meeting, held at Prithvi Bhavan in New Delhi, focused on advancing the nation’s geospatial infrastructure and ensuring its alignment with the needs of industry and the StartUp ecosystem.
Addressing the assembly, Dr. Jitendra Singh, who holds multiple portfolios including Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Space, directed the Department of Space, Department of Science and Technology (DST), and Ministry of Earth Sciences to develop a unified Geospatial interface. This interface is envisioned as a pivotal tool for creating innovative and indigenous products that can benefit farmers, rural artisans, and other sectors. The Minister underscored the importance of a seamless Geo-ICT infrastructure that connects various scientific endeavors and enables the pooling of knowledge and resources in collaboration with non-governmental sectors under the PPP mode.
Emphasizing early industry linkage, Dr. Singh highlighted how initiatives like these, when scaled, can significantly multiply benefits for the common people. He assured that all departments under his ministry would work in close coordination to achieve the shared objective of fostering a sustainable and innovation-driven ecosystem.
The meeting also included a review of the month-long National Space Day celebration, with particular focus on the main event scheduled for 23rd August at Bharat Mandapam. Dr. Singh assessed the progress on upcoming key events and took stock of the development of the “Vigyan Shakti” portal, offering valuable insights from his extensive experience with scientific portals.
Another key agenda item was the status update on the Unified Web repository of Indian Science and Technology, which has recently gone live. The repository aims to serve as a central hub for all scientific departments, and the department sought the Minister’s guidance on further integrating and enhancing the portal to ensure it becomes a single nodal point for all related information.
In addition, Dr. Jitendra Singh reviewed the progress on the ‘One Common Portal’ initiative for all research activities under the Department of Biotechnology, reinforcing the government’s commitment to streamline and unify scientific efforts across various sectors.
Concluding the meeting, Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated the Prime Minister’s vision for India @2047, emphasizing the crucial role that Science and Technology will play in achieving this ambitious goal. He called upon all stakeholders to work collectively towards building a robust scientific infrastructure that can propel India towards a sustainable and technologically advanced future.
This meeting marks a significant step forward in aligning India’s scientific and technological ambitions with the nation’s broader development goals, ensuring that innovations and advancements are effectively harnessed for the welfare of its citizens.
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