Lok Sabha Question No. 144 (STARRED), answered on 2025-07-30
Subject: Government Support on Flagship Initiative
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: Smt. Pratima Mondal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 144

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2025

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT ON FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE

- *144.   SMT. PRATIMA MONDAL: Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
- (a) the manner in which the Government plan to leverage space technology  to  support  flagship  national  initiatives  such  as Digital India, Smart Cities Mission and agricultural monitoring; and
- (b) whether  the  Government  would  provide  insights  into  the measures adopted to build human capital in the space sector including specialized training, research funding and academic
- collaborations to cultivate a skilled workforce?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

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(a) to (b) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN REPLY TO STARRED QUESTION NO. 144 REGARDING 'GOVERNMENT SUPPORT ON FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE' ASKED BY SMT. PRATIMA MONDAL FOR ANSWERING ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2025.

- (a) Space based inputs are being used in support of several flagship initiatives  of  the  Government,  including  Digital  India,  Smart Cities Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Forecasting Agricultural Output using Space,  Agrometeorology  and  Land-based  Observation  (FASAL) (crop  acreage  assessment  and  production  forecast),  CHAMAN (Coordinated  Horticulture  Assessment  and  Management  using Geo-iNformatics)  (horticulture  management),  Mahatma  Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), PMKSYWDC (Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (Watershed Development Component),  PMGSY,  PMFBY,  PMAY-HFA,  PM GatiShakti etc.

Bhuvan  Geoportal  and  database  of  Aadhar  enrolment  centres, use of space technology for geocoded postal address system and Roof-top  Photo  Voltaic  (PV)  potential  assessment  for  60  solar cities & smart cities have been done to support the Digital India and Smart Cities Mission.

Very  high-resolution  satellite  data  is  used  for  generating  urban geospatial database of AMRUT Cities. Under the FASAL programme,  remote  sensing  data  is  used  for  generating  crop acreage and forecasting the crop production estimations for 11

- (b)

crops.  Under  CHAMAN  programme,  horticulture  acreage  and production estimation is done for 7 horticulture crops, in addition to management plans for area expansion, post-harvest infrastructure  etc.  For  the  MGNREGA  programme,  geospatial technology is enabled for monitoring the creation of assets and activities, as well as for planning new assets / activities. Under the PMKSY-WDC programme geospatial technology is developed for  monitoring  the  implementation  of  watershed  development interventions  and  monitoring  the  impact  of  the  interventions. Geoportal and very high-resolution satellite data are utilized for monitoring  the  development  of  rural  roads  under  the  PMGSY programme. Satellite data is being utilized for optimizing the crop cutting  experiments,  monitoring  crop  damage,  as  well  as  for developing crop yield proxies to facilitate faster claim settlement for farmers, under the PMFBY programme. As part of the PMAYHFA programme, geoportal and satellite data are being used to monitor the stage of construction of houses of beneficiaries.

- With  respect  to  research  funding  and  academic  collaboration, ISRO has various research programmes like Sponsored Research (RESPOND),  Space  Technology  Cell  (STC),  Regional  Academic Centre  for  Space  (RAC-S),  Space  Technology  Incubation  Centre (STIC), Centre of Excellence (COE) and these programmes aims to encourage academia to participate and contribute in various space related activities in space technology, space science and applications areas to universities/institutions. These programmes give an exposure to the students on Space Science, Technology

& Exploration, which will enable for building human capital in the space domain.

To  equip  the  next  generation  of  global  space  enthusiasts  and leaders by imparting a holistic, comprehensive, and multidisciplinary education in several aspects of space technologies, policies, space  exploration etc, Department  of Space (DoS) has proposed to establish a 'Global Space Institute' (GSpI),  a  dedicated  global  institute  would  help  to  promote  the space  economy  by  guiding  the  incubation  of  start-ups,  space entrepreneurship, space commercialization and also on possible avenues on private investment into space sector. The institute is expected to actively partner with leading academic institutions, industries, and government agencies, both nationally and internationally, facilitating the advancement of space technology education  and  creating  a  network  of  shared  knowledge  and resources.

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