Description

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Picture Courtesy: PIB

Context

India has been elected as Co-Chair of the Regional Committee of the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP) for the 3 years term (2025 to 2028).

What is UN-GGIM-AP?

It is the inter-governmental body for making joint decisions and setting strategic directions on the use and management of geospatial information across the Asia-Pacific region.

Establishment

It was established in 2012, evolving from the former Permanent Committee on GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific (PCGIAP, 1995), to align with the global UN-GGIM framework.

Mandate & Objectives

It aims to maximize the economic, social, and environmental benefits of geospatial information through regional cooperation, capacity development, and shared solutions.

Membership

The committee represents the National Geospatial Information Authorities of 56 countries and economies in the Asia-Pacific.

Secretariat

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has served as its secretariat since 2018.

What is Geospatial Information?

Geospatial information is any data linked to a location on Earth.

It combines physical coordinates (like latitude and longitude) with attribute data, such as the name, population, or land-use type for that location.

This allows for mapping, analysis, and visualization of geographic patterns.

Key components

Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Software for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all types of geographically referenced data.
Global Positioning System (GPS): Satellite-based system that provides precise location, speed, and time data.
Remote Sensing: Collecting data from a distance using aircraft or satellites to gather imagery and information about the Earth's surface.

Applications

Urban planning: Analyzing population density and traffic flow to design better roads, public transit, and infrastructure.
Logistics: Optimizing delivery routes for businesses like FedEx and Amazon to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Environmental monitoring: Tracking deforestation, climate change effects, and wildlife habitats.
Disaster management: Mapping flood zones and coordinating emergency responses during natural disasters.
Real estate and retail: Using demographic data to select optimal locations for new stores or assess property risk.

India's Initiatives in the Geospatial Sector

National Geospatial Policy (NGP) 2022

It liberalizes data acquisition and access, replacing the restrictive National Map Policy of 2005.

Its goal is to create a high-resolution topographical survey and mapping infrastructure for the entire country.

Integration with National Missions: Geospatial technology is the backbone of schemes like Digital India and the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, which uses it for coordinated infrastructure development.

Global Engagement: India hosted the second United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC) in Hyderabad in 2022, demonstrating its commitment to global collaboration.

Source: PIB

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements about the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM):

It is the top inter-governmental body for global geospatial information policymaking.
It aims to integrate Geo-data into global post-conflict reconstruction.
India was recently elected as Co-Chair of the regional committee UN-GGIM-AP.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 1 and 3 only

C) 3 only

D) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: B

Statement 1 is correct: UN-GGIM was established by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is the apex intergovernmental body for setting directions on the use of geospatial information within national, regional, and global policy frameworks.

Statement 2 is incorrect: UN-GGIM coordinates geospatial information for global challenges, especially Sustainable Development Goals, not solely post-conflict reconstruction.

Statement 3 is correct: India, represented by Surveyor General Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana, was elected as Co-Chair of the UN-GGIM-AP for the term 2025–2028.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The UN-GGIM-AP is the regional committee for Asia and the Pacific under the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM). It is an inter-governmental body representing 56 national geospatial authorities in the region.

Key functions include promoting knowledge exchange and training, facilitating regional cooperation on cross-border initiatives, supporting the formulation of standards and policy frameworks, and aligning geospatial management with sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) has served as the secretariat for UN-GGIM-AP since 2018, providing institutional and technical support.