Lok Sabha Question No. 336 (STARRED), answered on 2015-08-12
Subject: Innovations of Global Standard
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: B.N. CHANDRAPPA, JOSE K. MANI

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3690**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 12/08/2015**

**SURVEY OF INDIA**

**†3690.	SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:**

**Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY**

**be pleased to state:**

**(a)		whether Survey of India is a nodal agency for the matters related to country's borders;**

**(b)		if so, the number of cases registered for publishing wrong map of India along with the action taken thereon during each of the last three years and the current year; and**

**(c)		the steps taken by the Government to ensure that such incidences do not occur in future?**

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES**

**(SHRI.Y. S. CHOWDARY)**

**(a)		No Madam.  Survey of India being National Mapping agency is responsible (as per National Map Policy-2005) to create, develop and maintain the National Topographic Database (NTDB) for the country in analogue and digital forms including borders. Survey of India is the agency to check and ascertain the correctness of the depiction of India’s external boundary. Further, a Nodal Officer from Survey of India is also nominated to look into wrong depiction of India’s international Boundary in a map or on web sites under section 69-A of IT Act 2000 (amended 2008). Nodal officer report in such matters is forwarded to the concerned ministries for further appropriate action.**

**(b)		Complaints/cases for publishing wrong depiction of India’s external boundary are received from Public, Government Departments/Ministries and other organizations. These cases are scrutinized by the Nodal officer to ascertain the correctness of the boundary and then Nodal Officer sends these cases with its report/comments to the concerned ministry for further appropriate action in the matter.**

**Details of year-wise cases received are as under:**

**In the Year 2012**

**27 Nos. of Cases were reported about wrong depiction of map of India. Comments on all 27 Cases have been sent to the concerned ministries i.e., Ministry of Communication & Information Technology, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of Home Affairs for further appropriate action.**

Contd..2/-

**- 2 -**

**In the Year 2013**

**17 Nos. of Cases were reported about wrong depiction of map of India. Comments on all 17 Cases have been sent to the concerned Ministries for further appropriate action.**

**In the Year 2014**

**24 Nos. of Cases were reported about wrong depiction of map of India. Comments on all 24 Cases have been sent to the concerned Ministries for further appropriate action.**

**During the Year 2015 (till date)**

**22 Nos. of Cases have been reported about wrong depiction of map of India. Comments on 20 Cases have been sent to the concerned Ministries for further appropriate action and 2 Cases are under process at International Boundary Directorate, New Delhi.**

**(c)		Government of India has promulgated IT Act, 2000 to act against all portals/websites publishing maps that are not in conformity with the maps of India published by Survey of India. Section 69-A of IT Act 2000 (amended 2008) envisages issue of directions for blocking for public access of any information through any computer resource. Further, Government of India has made publishing any map of India, which is not in conformity with the maps of India as published by the Survey of India a punishable offence by incorporating provisions for punishment  with imprisonment which may extend to six months, or with fine or with both vide the Criminal Law Amendment (Amending) Act, 1990 (No. 9 of 1990).**

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