Private companies can reportedly purchase and download the data online without visiting agency offices; meanwhile, a national policy involving geospatial data is also in the works. Geospatial data like data on natural or man-made geographical features above and below the ground will now be publicly accessible to Indians, according to a government press release. The data will be made accessible through three online portals developed by the Survey of India (SOI) and the National Atlas & Thematic Mapping Organization (NATMO). In May, the government had introduced a draft National Geospatial Policy which was geared towards making geospatial data easily available for all Indian citizens. The Department of Science and Technology had invited comments on the policy with a May 22 deadline. More details about the portals The three newly-inaugurated online portals mentioned in the press release are: GEO Spatial Data Dissemination Portal: The online…
