“The budget seems to have lot of promise for GIS industry, the investments announced in Urban Jal Jeevan Mission, waste management, road infrastructure, electricity distribution, city gas distribution are the steps in the right direction and are likely to give boost to the usage of geospatial technologies in these key sectors.”
The budget presented by Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman offers a number of good news for the Geospatial Industry. Following are some of them:
- Government has announced additional investments to the tune of Rs 2.38 lakh crores in 2021-22 in the budget to expand HMIS and health infrastructure, GIS can help in planning, execution and monitoring of these initiatives.
- Geospatial technologies can play an important role to support the execution of Urban Jal Jeevan Mission program for providing water supply to urban households in 4378 ULBS and liquid waste management in 500 AMRUT cities where the government has announced an investment of Rs 2.86 lakh Crores over 5 years and Urban Swatchh Bharat and clean air in 42 urban centres with over 1 million population investment of Rs 2217 Cr.
- The investment announced in transport infrastructure segment are also very encouraging for the Geospatial industry. Honourable Finance Minister has provided for investment highway construction in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam, and have made an allocation of Rs 1.18 lakhs Cr. for MoRTH. Provision of Rs 2000 Cr for port modernization through Public-Private Partnership though a small step, but is none the lass a positive step in the right direction, here also GIS can support the planning and asset management in ports for achieving better fiscal efficiency.
- The reforms in Electricity distribution announced in the budget by allocating over Rs 3 lakh Crores for providing choice of DISCOMs to consumers, smart metering and upgradation of distribution infrastructure are expected to give a boost to Geospatial industry, utilities sector being a key user of GIS and other Geospatial technologies.
- City Gas distribution has made a big difference to the society, the announcement to cover 100 more cities in the next 3 years for Gas distribution and a new Gas pipeline in J&K are positive steps and will boost the use of GIS in this sector.
- Esri India has special focus on education and skill building sector. The focus and investment announced by the finance minister will further boost the collaboration between institutions of learning and private organizations.
