Why is it in the News?

Ministry of Mines is to launch the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) Portal on 19th December 2023 in a ceremony in New Delhi.

What is the National Geoscience Data Repository Portal?

• This extensive online platform facilitates the retrieval, exchange, and examination of geospatial information nationwide.
• Spearheaded by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), the NGDR initiative marks a notable advancement in democratizing crucial geoscience data.
• It empowers stakeholders in various industries and academia by providing unparalleled access to invaluable resources.

About the Geological Survey of India (GSI):

• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) originated in 1851 with the primary objective of identifying coal deposits for the Railways.
• Since its inception, GSI has transformed into a repository of geo-scientific information, achieving international recognition for its contributions.
• The organization is dedicated to creating and updating national geoscientific data, conducting mineral resource assessments, and providing impartial geological expertise crucial for policy decisions, commercial ventures, and socio-economic needs.
• GSI focuses on comprehensive documentation of geological processes, employing state-of-the-art techniques in geological, geophysical, and geochemical surveys.
• As an attached office of the Ministry of Mines, GSI operates from its headquarters in Kolkata, with six regional offices in Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong, and Kolkata, along with state unit offices across India.

About BISAG (N):

• Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) operates as an Autonomous Scientific Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, falling under the MeitY, Government of India.
• Its multifaceted mission encompasses technology development and management, research and development, fostering national and international collaboration, capacity building, and facilitating technology transfer and entrepreneurship development in the realm of geospatial technology.
• BISAG-N has played a pivotal role in implementing GIS and geospatial technologies for major ministries and nearly all states, integrating diverse technological domains such as geo-spatial science, information science systems, and mathematics science systems.
• The institute operates as a state agency under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat, situated in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.