The policy of restriction in Aerial Photography may be reviewed on a priority basis and a more user friendly policy shall be adopted. All maps of the border and the coastal belt are restricted , and hence not easily available to private companies. The Restriction Policy is a major obstacle, and it slows down infrastructure development in these areas. The conference observes that the government may implement the recommendations of the TG-Map Committee for Map and GIS Data Policy , which was approved by the Committee of Secretaries under the Cabinet Secretary . There is no common standard for reference systems, scales, degrees of accuracy, and data structures for developing base maps and value addition to these maps across the various departments of the government in the country.
Different organisations develop their data to different specifications.
It would be useful to define the standards. Care should be taken to adopt international standards so that data can eventually be shared at regional and global levels. The Government agencies in consultation with NGOs, institutions and the industry may work to evolve data standards for geographical information. The year 2000 be declared The Year of Maps . There is an important need to create awareness about the maps among the masses.