Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today said that success stories like the SVAMITVA (Survey Village and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme, which stands for Survey Village and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas have transformed citizens into masters of their own destiny, ending decades of dependence on the mercy of revenue officers and patwaris.
The programme, he noted, has emerged as a global model of citizen-centric governance, enabling self-mapping of land by citizens themselves and inspiring adoption by other countries. Chairing a high-level review meeting of the "Survey of India" at the Parliament House, Dr. Jitendra Singh hailed the National Geospatial Policy 2022 as a game-changer that has democratized geo-spatial data, enabling wider accessibility and utility across government and public sectors.
He pointed out that, in collaboration with the Registrar General of India, the harmonization of boundaries has been completed marking a milestone in the transformation of the Survey of India in recent years.
Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that the Survey of India’s technical expertise underpins several flagship schemes, including the SVAMITVA scheme, AMRUT Mission, Smart Cities, Digital Twin Mission and NAKSHA Scheme.
He outlined plans to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning for technology upgrades, create synergies with other science and government departments, and ensure they can fully utilize the department’s world-class facilities.
Highlighting technological advancements, Dr. Jitendra Singh cited the development of high-accuracy Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), a shift from being map producers to becoming geo-spatial enablers for multiple sectors of the economy.
He praised the department’s proactive engagement with ministries, as well as the establishment of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) and the creation of a Geodetic Asset Register at the state, district, and taluka levels.
These registers, to be made available to Tehsildars, will significantly ease citizen-centric service delivery. The Minister directed the department to organize a national workshop with all ministries, departments, and states to enhance awareness about the vast capabilities of the Survey of India.
He lauded the National Geodetic Reference Framework (NGRF), noting that 478 CORS are already operational with the collaboration of other departments. Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s facilitation of bilateral MoUs with Russia and Nigeria in the field of geo-spatial data and surveying, Dr. Singh revealed that six more such international collaborations are under process.
The Minister also laid out a plan for 5–10 cm high-resolution topographical surveying and mapping of urban and rural areas, and 50–100 cm for forests and wastelands, to be completed by the year 2030.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Surveyor General of India Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana, and senior officials from the Department of Science & Technology and Survey of India.