NSDI in India: The reality behind the dream

1st NGDI Workshop

February 5-6, 2001, New Delhi

Encapsulating the maps and images into National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) is the need of the hour and the emphasis has to be on information transparency and sharing, with the recognition that the spatial information is a national resource and citizens, society, private enterprise and government have a right to access it, appropriately. Only through common conventions and technical agreements, standards, metadata de?nitions, network and access protocols will it be easily possible for the NSDI to come into existence,” Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) writes in the foreword of Discussion Document on National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI): Strategy and Action Plan. During the valedictory session, two sub groups were constituted. One Standard subgroup that was to recommend data standards, metadata standards, exchange standards and the formats while the other Network subgroup was supposed to focus on technological issues connected with networking and accessibility. The need was also felt to evaluate the needs of Human Resource Development.

The workshop can be considered as a landmark development on two counts: one, it was a ?rst public poser of Government of India on NGDI and second, is the release of a discussion document NSDI: Strategy and Action Plan. The discussion document was well received and appreciated during the workshop and held long term prospects in making NGDI a reality. The document is very comprehensive as it discusses not only the need, content, design elements of NSDI but elaborates upon its organisational framework, funding mechanism and implementation.

The ?rst NGDI workshop enthused the geomatics community in India with an anticipation of new era. Also there were interesting debates on the name itself whether ‘spatial’ or ‘geospatial’. Later on it was the spatial lobby that got its way. And one can notice the change in name from NGDI to NSDI onwards.

2nd NSDI Workshop

Ooty, Tamil Nadu, July 29-31, 2002

This Ooty Communiqué for NSDI is adopted at the 2nd NSDI Workshop at Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Tamil Nadu.

In the Indian context, NSDI envisions the creation of a structural framework of spatial information for sustainable development at all levels – individual, community, village/city, district, State and the Nation and to leverage economic growth. The Department of Space and Department of Science and Technology have taken the initiative to de?ne the NSDI Strategy and Action Plan – which has been enthusiastically endorsed by all concerned government departments, the corporate sector, academia and NGOs.

It is recognised that core competence has been created – in terms of human expertise, GIS databases, software tools, operation and maintenance of a spatial databases and utilisation. The NSDI datasets would include the holistic domain of varying types of data that are based on top-down and bottom-up collection strategies. Many of the major spatial data producing agencies are ready to provide their spatial datasets to the NSDI. Further, it is also clear that the de?nition, vision, perspective and implementation plan for NSDI now exists.

It is noted that the NSDI Task Force has made considerable progress in de?ning the technical design of NSDI and its attendant Standards on: NSDI Web-Server, NSDI Content, NSDI Metadata, Search and Access, NSDI Network and NSDI Exchange. It is also noted that work is in progress for de?ning NSDI Quality Standards; the NSDI Datum/Projection Standards; the NSDI Access Rules and a plan for human resources development for supporting the NSDI.

It is resolved that NSDI should become operational at the earliest.

Recommendations

The Workshop tasks the NSDI Task Force to urgently prepare a well researched, comprehensive policy document which is consistent with the NSDI objectives. The Workshop urges that such a policy document be collectively endorsed by the stakeholders of NSDI and placed before the highest levels of decision making in the Government for consideration and adoption at the earliest.

The NSDI should emerge as an empowered apex authority for makingand administering policies with reference to spatial data, de?nition and evolution of NSDI standards, designing and implementation of NSDI Servers, de?ne mechanisms for spatial data quality for NSDI, de?ne rules and guidelines for NSDI Access, de?ne rules/guidelines for agency participation in NSDI, constantly widen the scope of NSDI and ensure support for better governance and socio-economic development.

All organisations, institutions and persons in the public or private sector having spatial data assets which can conform to NSDI standards must be encouraged to participate in NSDI.

The NSDI Metadata Standard and the NSDI-Exchange Format as prepared by the NSDI Task Force should be taken up for a Standards Adoption Process by notifying them for public discussion (on the net) and then adopting them. The Workshop tasks the NSDI Task Force to initiate this process and formalize the Standards before adopting them as Version 1.0. The Workshop also charges the NSDI Task Force to formalize the NSDI Metadata Server, as designed, at the earliest so that it can be the ?rst step towards NSDI operationalisation.

Make optimum use of the presently available NICNET, other high bandwidth public/private networks to support NSDI; continuously support the expansion and enhancement of such networks to eventually enable effective utilisation of NSDI.

User requirements must be yet another driver of NSDI and thus the target application potentials of NSDI must be properly assessed and de?ned. The NSDI Task Force could take up a speci?c assessment on this.

NSDI Task Force is urged to make speci?c efforts to quickly complete important mapping programmes – availability of topographic maps in digital format for developmental applications by (March 31, 2003 as mentioned by SOI); availability of information on village location and boundaries and other applications (in about a year’s timeframe by involving Census, SOI and NRSA).

The private sector is seen as a partner in the NSDI initiative and its role is envisaged as providing IT solutions, services, human resources development and infrastructure, as also for committing its own data assets to such an infrastructure. The NSDI will proactively work towards bringing in an attitudinal change in the business environment governing spatial data in the country and usher in an era of innovative public-private partnerships towards the growth of a knowledgebased economy and society.

3rd NSDI Workshop

12-14 November 2003, Agra

Recommendations

The recommendations in the communiqué are:

• The National Map Policy must be formalized at the earliest and its operational implementation taken up.

• An assessment of any consequential impact of the National Map Policy on NSDI and its activities must be made and solutions enabled by the NSDI Task Force.

• The efforts to institutionalize NSDI must continue and all formal clearances and approvals obtained at the earliest – so that the NSDI, as an institution, can be positioned.

• All organizations, agencies, institutions, be they from the government, private or nongovernment sector, and who have spatial data assets must be encouraged to participate in the NSDI. NSDI may establish procedures and mechanisms for this to happen.

• The NSDI Metadata Standard (Version 3.0) is hereby adopted and all NSDI agencies are encouraged to generate their Metadata according to this Standard. However, a review mechanism of the Standard could be established to regularly update the Standard.

• Similarly, the NSDE Standard (Version 1.0) is also adopted and all NSDI agencies are encouraged to conform to this exchange standard. NSDI, by involving GIS vendors and others, must enable the development of solutions and translators for the NSDE.

• NSDI recognizes the need for technical, institutional and organizational inter-operability and recommends that NSDI commit itself to enable inter-operability and be in line with international efforts, such as OGC, ISO.

• The NSDI Metadata Server and the NSDI Portal efforts be integrated and the NSDI services made operational at the earliest. Agencies are urged to populate their Agency Metadata for the NSDI Metadata Server using the NSDI Metadata Utility at the earliest.

• The demonstration efforts of the NSDI Data and Application Services be continued to evolve a sound design for the Data Servers and valueaddition on NSDI. Appropriate standard documents for the Data Server and Applications Services need to be prepared.

• There is an urgent need to take up standardization efforts in the following areas:

— Content and Design of NSDI
— Applications and Value-Addition
— Quality Standards
— Network design
— NSDI Policy/Guidelines for agency-participation and Access Rules

• The scoping of NSDI must now address assimilating spatial data available at large scales – and especially those which are not based on spatial framework of SOI maps. Studies and assessments need to be made in this direction – especially on standards, linkages and applications of such datasets.

• The NSDI must enable a framework under which spatial information systems and applications can be encouraged at village, district and state level and these need to be assimilated into the infrastructure. In this manner, NSDI could become a tool for empowering people.

• The private sector has a major role to play in NSDI and leverage its capabilities in providing SDI technologies, SDI solutions, SDI services, SDI human resources development and infrastructure establishment, as also for committing its own data assets to such an infrastructure.

• A separate assessment for Public-Private Partnership model for NSDI – with clear de?nition of roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and sharing of bene?ts from NSDI needs to be made.

• The NSDI framework must position foundation partnerships with stakeholders based on ?nancial equity principles and build for itself a viable ?nancial model of growth and sustenance through publicprivate funding approaches.

• NSDI must develop bi-lateral links with nations that have strong SDI programmes for establishing a mutually beneficial partnership. Similarly, NSDI must also actively participate in multi-lateral SDI programme and leverage Indian competitiveness in the global arena.

4th NSDI Workshop

17- 19 November 2004, Lucknow

Recommendations

This Lucknow Communiqué for NSDI is adopted, by the 98 delegates from 35 departments/agencies, at the 4th NSDI Workshop at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on 19th day of November, 2004.

1. Work for establishing a mechanism for NSDI opera tionalisation through appropriate clearances and approvals.

2. Urge the early release of the National Map Policy which will enable the positioning of spatial data and application/services on networks and enable the implementation of the NSDI vision and goals. The policy must be comprehensive and inclusive of spatial data/information.

3. Agencies from the government, private and non-government sector – who have spatial data assets and solutions are urged to integrate their efforts and participate in NSDI. It is the collective efforts of all agencies
that can bridge the gaps in supporting critical applications like disaster management, infrastructure development, natural resources management etc

4. Urge all agencies to populate their metadata and position metadata servers. An immediate effort to develop an integrated national Metadata server/clearinghouse, encompassing links to agency servers is required. This would enable the ?rst element of NSDI – Metadata Services to become operational.

5. Encourage generation of nationallevel innovative content through the use of advanced technologies and positioning updated and accurate theme-oriented maps.

6. Developing national standards for NSDI – encompassing Content standards; GIS Design standards; Toponymy standards; Quality Standards; Application Metadata Standards; Network design and protocols and appropriate Policy/Guidelines for agencyparticipation and Access Rules is critical for the further progress of NSDI. Noting the efforts being made by different agencies (like the efforts of NNRMS to draft GIS Standards), it is essential to integrate standardisation efforts
and position a National Spatial Data Standard for adoption by all.

7. NSDI must aim to establish interoperable spatial data and products/services across platforms and software products. To this end, NSDI needs to examine the level of compatibility and harmonization of national NSDI standards with international efforts of standardisation through the works of OGC, ISO etc. In this, the involvement and commitment of the software product suppliers is important.

8. It is recognized that private sector would be the main source for SDI technology, solutions and services – which would be the backbone for NSDI. With a concerted effort towards Public- Private partnership for NSDI, there is a need to articulate the mechanisms for active private sector participation in NSDI.

9. There is a need to pursue a research agenda for NSDI – speci?cally encompassing topics like, standardisation, semantics, ontology, toponymy, GI market, pricing policy, GI Business Models etc. The mechanics of involving academia and enabling research projects at universities and institutions needs to be looked into.

10. The demonstration efforts of NSDI for supporting national development must be continued to bring about a larger awareness
of the bene?ts of NSDI.

11. With the aim of leveraging the bene?ts and advantages of NSDI in society, a concerted campaign for generating larger awareness on NSDI amongst professionals, stake-holders, users and the public needs to be continued.

12. Noting the successful conduct of the GSDI-7 Conference and the acceptance of the offer made by India to the GSDI Association to host the GSDI International Secretariat in India, efforts to strengthen the linkages with GSDI, through development of institutional and programmatic linkages, and establishment of the international Secretariat must be pursued.

13. NSDI must continue to strengthen and further develop bi-lateral links with nations that have strong SDI programmes and enable mutual benefit.

“NSDI has come a long way”

says Dr R Siva Kumar, Head, NRDMS
& NSDI Division, Ministry of Science and
Technology, Government of India while
assuring that it will be reality very soon

Where is NSDI at the moment?

NSDI has come a long way after Lucknow. We had successfully gone through the process of consultation and now we have agreed to create NSDI as envisaged by the Task Force and all the stakeholders. It is at the ?nal stage of approval and Government noti?cation is likely to be issued very shortly.

Any time frame?

It should not take more than three months time.

Any hurdles in creation of NSDI?

I do not foresee any hurdles in issuing of government noti?cation at the moment. What is bothering me is the preparation of stakeholders within their organizations with regard to establishment of their nodes, converting their own data into digital data and making the data accessible and available as envisioned in the NSDI.

Is it an institutional issue or temperamental issue?

It is basically an Indian issue. It takes time for us to assimilate and carry forward and there is some justi?cation for lethargy as there was delay in realizing NSDI in India for various reasons. All these contentious issues have been buried and we do not have any controversial issue at the moment. We are very hopeful now.

What about the synergy needed among various participants in NSDI?

We are expecting total synergy to be there and there is a lot of enthusiasm and more people are coming forward to take part in the NSDI – both government and non-government.

Any landmark happening in NSDI-V?

With regard to NSDI-V, we would like to show some of the technical activities we have done and probably we would be able to share some prototypes of electronic clearing house and conceptually we will be able to demonstrate the activities at NSDI-V.

NSDI is for whom? For the Government of India or for the people of India?

NSDI is for the people of India. Had it been as for the government, there would have no problem or delay.

“NSDI is a reality”

observes Dr Vandana Sharma, Senior
Technical Director, National Informatics
Centre

NSDI, a dream or a reality?

NSDI is a reality. Many organizations are working together to make it a reality. This has been a dream long time back and now converted into reality by the efforts many organizations including NIC. NSDI de?nitions have emerged later but NIC is working in this area for more than 15 years. It has been working in this direction by speeding up digitization process through joint support of many organizations, conceptualization of NSDI and by evolving processes systematically.

How much NIC is prepared to function in proposed framework of NSDI?

It is not the question of being prepared. NIC has been playing a leading role in achieving the goals of NSDI. NSDI has deliberated extensively the metadata standards and data exchange formats. NIC has already made database operational with mirror side concepts. The website of NIC provides spatial data conforming map policy and is being used by more than 3000 users all across the country. NIC is also making models for grassroots levels deliverable systems up to district levels.

Who leads NSDI?

NIC is a partner to NSDI concepts. We feel that that many organizations have to play the lead role depending upon there core competence and vision. It is a joint initiative.

Are you still struggling with issues pertaining to data ownership?

NIC has extensively deliberated this issue with concerned organizations. We strictly believe that ownerships rights need to be preserved with the data providing agencies. However part of the data must flow to national database around which various applications can be customized. We feel that many organizations are willing to disperse the data to various users and looking for web based methods to do so. But wherever it concerns with the sale of formatted data, we shall go totally by data owner’s policy. We can display data but downloads should be done according to the policies of the concerned agencies.

What do you expect from coming NSDI workshop?

Every time we meet at NSDI, issues are to be discussed, progress should be assessed and solutions should be explored, and future goals need to be set. NSDI is an ongoing process and this yearly meet does provide an opportunity to various stakeholders and to discuss and deliberate together various important issues. This year the theme is Bharat Nirman.

“NDC is ready with image data”

says R Joseph Arokiadas, Group
Head, NRSA Data Centre while
sharing his perspectives about NSDI

What role you see of NRSA in NSDI?

We have developed a image portal and we hope that will be very useful to the user community. In fact, we have categorizing our data in three categories, Data of 56 m resolution are categorized in coarse data. Medium data with resolution of 23 m and in high-resolution category we have data of better resolution than 5 m. Data up to 5 m resolution are available to all.

How to access these data?

We are planning to make data available on the web. Once that happens then users form government and non-government both can get the bene?t from it. We are also planning to make cartosat 2 data available off the shelf.

Your perception about NSDI?

The idea to make data available for developmental purpose in itself is very good. The positive thing is that all the leading organisations including Department of Space, Department of Science and Technology and National Informatics Centre are working together very closely and in a positive direction. As far as NRSA Data Centre, NRSA is concerned we are ready with image data.

There is a perception that to get high resolution data from NRSA is a tedious process. Comment.

We follow Remote Sensing Data Policy. An open sky policy is followed for data of poor resolution than 10 m. However, we mask certain areas of security concerns if images are of better resolution than this. In case it is of 1 metre or better resolution than 1 metre, then such requests need to get approved by a committee.

What relevance you see of such policies in view of images available with google earth given the concerens expressed by President of India himself?

We are also concerned.

“There has been a sea change in attitude of spatial data users and provider”

says Brig M V Bhat, Deputy Surveyor
General, Survey of India while
sharing the recent developments
in NSDI with Coordinates

What are the initiatives to ensure availability of spatial data?

Several initiatives have been taken by the Government of India to ensure availability of reliable and accurate Spatial Data to users. Prominent amongst them being the NSDI initiative and the National Map Policy of Government of India. National Spatial Data Infrastructure initiative of Department of Science and Technology and Survey of India provide a platform for interaction between data providing agencies and users. The primary objective of NSDI is to act as a gateway between the information generating agencies and users. The right to information act passed by the Parliament (Govt. of India) is a constructive and positive step.

What is so great in National Map Policy?

The NMP envisages unshackling of many of the extant restrictions as regards to availability of and access to Survey of India maps. A new generation of maps based on the WGS-84 system called the “Open Series Maps (OSMs)” will be put in the public domain. This is expected to open up unprecedented opportunities in business, involving maps. All players will be able to access accurate and updated spatial data for use or subsequent value addition.

National Map Policy was announced some time in May? It was to be followed by guidelines from Survey of India?

Guidelines have already been framed and would soon be in public domain.

Has the life of map users changed since the map policy was announced?

Although data are yet to be provided as per the new map policy, it has surely impacted a sea change in the attitude of spatial data users and data providers. This is evident from the fact that the number of major data users, both in government sector and other public users, has increased considerably.

Is NSDI in India lost somewhere? We have not heard anything about this since long.

I would like to inform you that NSDI is very much on the agenda of the Government. Only the publicity has not been there. The NSDI bill has been accepted by the Committee of Secretaries. It is a major step forward and very soon it is hoped to be a reality.

NSDI is for whom? Is it meant for the government or for other data users also?

NSDI is a gateway of information from information providers to various stakeholders which include government agencies, private sector, industry, academia and common man.