Surveying and mapping in India have been there around since centuries and National Mapping Agencies in India have been an essential tool providing information about maps and geography of the country. Today, mapping agencies are influenced by numerous factors including public demands, changing government priorities and initiatives as well as ongoing business, military, environmental and other needs. These agencies produce maps that constitute the most important source of geographical, physical, economic, scientific and sociological information for people.
SURVEY OF INDIA (SI):
The Survey of India, the National Survey and Mapping Organization of the country is known as India’s central engineering agency in charge of mapping and surveying. The agency, which is one of the oldest scientific Departments of the Government of India was founded in 1767 to evolve the rich traditions over the years with the assigned role as nation’s Principal Mapping Agency. The agency headquarters are located in Uttarakhand, India.
Survey of India is responsible for ensuring that the country’s domain is explored and mapped suitably, provide base maps for expeditious and integrated development and ensure that all resources contribute with their full measure to the progress, prosperity and security of our country now and for generations to come.
Survey of India provides user focused, cost-effective, reliable and quality geospatial data, advances theory, practice, collection and promotes active exchange of information, ideas, and technological innovations.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (ASI):
The agency responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country is the Archaeological Survey of India, under the Government of India (Ministry of Culture). Formed in 1861 by the British Raj, the agency headquarter is situated in New Delhi and administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance including temples, mosques, churches, tombs, and cemeteries to palaces, forts, stepwells, rock-cut caves, and other similar sites representing ancient habitation.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (GSI):
The Geological Survey of India, was founded in 1851 is a Government of India Ministry of Mines organisation, one of the oldest of such organisations in the world and the second oldest survey in India after Survey of India, for conducting geological surveys and studies of India, and also as the prime provider of basic earth science information to government, industry and general public.
With its headquarters in Kolkata, the Geological Survey of India has six regional offices at Lucknow, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata and offices in almost all States of the country.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY:
The National Institute of Oceanography is an autonomous research organization in India that undertakes scientific research and studies of special oceanographic features of the Northern Indian Ocean. The agency that is headquartered in Goa has its regional centres in Kochi, Mumbai and Vizag.
INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANIZATION(ISRO):
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the space agency of Government of India that was formed in 1969 and is headquartered in the city of Bangalore. Its vision is to ‘harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration.’ The prime objective of ISRO is to use space technology and its application to various national tasks.
India’s economic progress has made its space program more visible and active as the country aims for greater self-reliance in space technology. ISRO has successfully put into operation two major satellite systems: Indian National Satellites (INSAT) for communication services and Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites for management of natural resources.