Bhuvan is envisioned as a critical tool for smart governance, enabling planning, monitoring, and transparency in developmental schemes.
NEW DELHI (India CSR) — Despite the wide accessibility of ISRO’s Bhuvan GIS platform, the Department of Space (DoS) has clarified that not a single Gram Panchayat in the country has been linked to satellite imagery or mobile GIS tools for the purpose of property monitoring or digital land record management.
This information was provided by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
Satellite Data Use Yet to Reach Grassroots
While Bhuvan is freely available and widely used by various state departments, municipalities, and universities, its integration with rural governance systems remains non-existent.
The absence of linkage with Gram Panchayats means that tools which could potentially support digital land records, property boundary monitoring, and rural asset mapping are not being utilised at the grassroots level.
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Missed Opportunity for Rural Digitisation
Bhuvan’s satellite-based geospatial data and mobile GIS services can be transformative for rural areas by:
- Enabling digital mapping of land and properties
- Supporting e-governance and transparency
- Aiding in real-time tracking of government schemes and assets
Experts have long advocated for integrating such tools with Panchayati Raj Institutions to empower local decision-making and ensure accurate land record management.
Usage Widespread Elsewhere, But Lacks Depth
Several departments in Jharkhand, including the Water Resources Department, Irrigation Department, and Central University of Jharkhand, have accessed Land Use Land Cover (LULC) data from Bhuvan. Yet, no official data exists on how these agencies applied the data in real-world governance or planning.
The Department of Space noted that data is freely accessible, but tracking the application and impact of this usage remains a challenge.
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Need for Deeper Integration with Local Governance
While Bhuvan represents a powerful tool for modern governance, its lack of integration with rural institutions signals a major gap in India’s digital transformation journey. To truly realise the vision of Digital India and smart villages, experts argue for direct linkage between Bhuvan and Gram Panchayats to support property verification, rural development planning, and public asset monitoring.
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