Union Budget 2025 | ISRO's geospatial platforms aiding govt programmes across sectors: Economic Survey

New Delhi: From monitoring electrical infrastructure to providing assistance in urban planning, ISRO's advanced geospatial platforms are supporting a range of projects across different sectors, the Economic Survey said on Friday.

The Bhuvan platform of ISRO plays a vital role in rural development, tracking projects under schemes like MGNREGA and the watershed component of PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, according to the survey tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament.

In Maharashtra and Telangana, Bhuvan supports electrical infrastructure management through Web-GIS portals, it noted. The survey said judicial infrastructure was also benefiting from space-based solutions.

The NyayaVikas Portal, developed in collaboration with the Department of Justice, monitors 2,840 judicial projects using Web GIS and mobile geotagging, with over 7,900 geotags facilitating real-time tracking.

ISRO has created large-scale 2D urban geospatial databases for 238 AMRUT cities, assisting in developing GIS-based master plans for urban planning, the survey said.

"Geospatial innovations are reshaping industries, such as autonomy and robotics. Geospatial is set to become a one trillion dollar market globally by 2030, with significant growth in sectors such as GNSS and positioning, Earth observation, and spatial analytics," Sanjay Kumar, CEO of Geospatial World said.

The survey said India currently operates 56 active space assets, including 19 communication satellites, nine navigation satellites, four scientific satellites, and 24 earth observation satellites.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has enhanced its capabilities by adding a small satellite launch vehicle to its fleet. New Space India Limited (NSIL) successfully fulfilled its contract to launch 72 OneWeb satellites into low earth orbit.

Recently, the space agency also launched the GSAT-20 satellite in collaboration with SpaceX.

As part of India's Space Vision 2047, the Union Cabinet has approved four key projects – the Gaganyaan follow-on mission, which will pave the way for the establishment of the first module of the Bhartiya Antariksh Station; the Chandrayaan-4 Lunar Sample Return Mission; the Venus Orbiter Mission; and the development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle.

"These initiatives aim to enhance India's technological capabilities, foster industry collaboration, and strengthen the country's position in global space exploration," the survey said.

Union Budget 2025 | Nirmala Sitharaman, who continues to be Finance Minister, will present her record 8th Union Budget this time. While inflation has burnt a hole in the pockets of 'aam janata', reports suggest there might be a tax relief for those making up to Rs 15 lakh per year. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analysis only on Deccan Herald. Also follow us on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.