Fig. 44: Overview of the project

helped reconfigure the service chain and overcome the traditional geographic or functional silos at different levels of programme implementation.

It has rendered possible the visualization of multiple programmes in convergence mode, enabling monitoring of the pace of work on the ground as well as the current state of the asset. Such supervision is helping overcome the issues of double booking, the existence of ghost assets that do not exist physically on the ground, tampering with assets on the ground, etc. Technology has also played a crucial role in overcoming challenges in measuring the intangible benefits of the scheme that have driven overall development in the region.

The vast repository of geotagged data so created and made available for visualization on the ISRO Bhuvan portal stands as a testimony to the success achieved by the technology.

Outcomes Achieved

NRSC has already demonstrated through the WDC-PMKSY 1.0 that Geospatial technology can be effectively used for watershed management and monitoring activities. This monitoring helps in assessing the long-term effectiveness of the programmes implemented.

Effective implementation of the program using earth observation (EO) data and geo-enabled tools has led to enhanced governance, thus directly or indirectly strengthening the efforts toward achieving environmental and social development goals. Geotagging has provided increased transparency and accountability, thus enabling effective project implementation at the grassroots level. The EO data has helped map the environmental impact as manifested by a raised area under agriculture (acreage) and crop intensity due to the implementation of soil and water conservation measures. EO indices such as NDVI also mapped the increase in vegetation vigour captured.

The WebGIS technology provides access to dynamic geospatial watershed information with field-level activity without burdening the users with complicated and expensive software.

y Transparency in the implementation of Watershed development programmes across the country. y Demonstration of web-based geospatial technology to monitor decentralized approach in rural development. y Enhanced skills of functionaries to apply geospatial techniques for monitoring. y Institutionalization with the establishment of a GIS Cell at DoLR

Fig. 44: Overview of the project

Contact Information

Name of Contact Person: Designation: Organization Name: Email: Telephone: Dr Prakash Chauhan

Director NRSC, ISRO director@nrsc.gov.in +91 40 23884001

Alignment with the IGIF Strategic Pathways

S.no IGIF Strategic pathway Description and Remarks

SP1 Governance and Institutions ISRO as the nodal agency responsible for the delivery of satellite-based geospatial information in the country has established a sound institutional arrangement for the curation, maintenance and delivery of geospatial information. This example highlights one such mechanism that yields a value proposition of the data maintained by ISRO.

SP3 Financial

SP4 Data This project also has a clear funding mechanism for geospatial information use and distribution. The project is funded by the Integrated Watershed Management Programme a flagship programme of the Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. IWMP has a clearly defined data curation, maintenance and dissemination system delivered through a web-based monitoring system wherein primary satellite data, GIS platform, and software tools for plan preparation are used. The roles of data custodianship are also defined and rest with the ISRO.

SP7 Partnerships

SP8 Capacity and Education The partners involved in the watershed monitoring system represent various central and state government agencies, research institutions and ISRO. Capacity building is one of the major project deliverables which imparts training to DoLR nominated persons through a common standard course curriculum relevant to watersheds. Funding provision is also kept for Institution and Capacity Building.