Union Cabinet Elevates Bhaskaracharya Institute (BISAF) as a national institute

The Union Cabinet on February 19, 2020 approved elevation of Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG), Gujarat as Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG(N)) under Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY), Government of India.

Benefits

1. To maintain efficiency and innovation of services, the current skilled manpower working at BISAG may join the national level institute on as-is and where-is basis. 
2. To facilitate implementation of expanded scope of activities
3. To facilitate implementation of expanded scope of activities and efficient rollout of GIS projects.
4. To facilitate implementation of expanded scope of activities, aid research & development and technology development.
5. Facilitate development planning and good governance through spatial decision support systems.

Background

At present, BISAG is a state agency of Department of Science and Technology Government of Gujarat, located at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. It is registered as a Society and Trust with the Charity Commissioner of Ahmedabad.

Its Governing body is chaired by the Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat.

Its charter is based on the philosophy that modern day planning for a holistic development calls for transparent, efficient and low-cost decision-making systems. This involves multi-disciplinary information that encourages people’s participation and ensures equitable development. The application of space technologies (especially the space based remote sensing technology), satellite communication and geo-informatics has contributed significantly towards the socio-economic development.

Since this is not a new organisation but only an elevation of existing body which will be an Autonomous Scientific Society under Government of India instead of State Government, the following key steps have been undertaken by MEITY for the consideration of proposal: –

• An Expert Committee was constituted under chairmanship of Secretary, MeitY with representatives from Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Science & Technology and ex-Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences for analysing the proposal. The Expert Committee recommended the proposal during the meeting held on January 28th 2019.
• The CEE proposal was put for consideration of the appraisal body i.e. Committee on Establishment Expenditure (CEE). The CEE meeting was held on August 6th, 2019 under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, along with representatives of NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance and Department of Science & Technology. The proposal was recommended by CEE.