India 2018

Scientific and Technological Developments 483
surveys, study of seismicity and seismotectonics, glaciology, participation in
Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica and projects related to digital
cartography and digital photogrammetry, etc., to provide basic data to keep
pace with Science and Technology Department.
SOI has undertaken creation of digital cartographic data base of
topographical maps on various scales. The digital data is being used by various
agencies for planning and GIS applications. It also undertakes large scale surveys
for various developmental projects including hydro-electric, irrigation,
command area, canal area, cantt. area schemes, etc. The Department is
responsible to fix the external boundary of India, their depiction on maps
published in the country and also advise on the demarcation of inter-state
boundaries. The Survey of India also provides support to other countries e.g.,
Nigeria, Afghanistan, Kenya, Iraq, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Indonesia,
Bhutan, Mauritius, etc., in the field of mapping, survey education, transfer of
technology, and various other surveying technologies under bilateral
arrangements. Under UN mandate, Survey of India also provides support to
countries in Asia-Pacific region for capacity building in spatial data
infrastructures.
Survey Training Institute, Hyderabad established under UNDP assistance
is a premier institution for training in various disciplines of surveying and
mapping to the trainees sponsored by the Department, other state/central
government organisations and neighbouring countries.
Keeping in view a new National Map Policy announced in May, 2005,
Open Series Maps based on UTM projection and WGS-84 datum which is
compatible with the coordinate system of GPS, used in all activities of surveying
and mapping, are being published for users community. Defence Series Maps
based on-Lambert Conformal Conic Projection and WGS-84 datum are being
published for defence forces which are declared as classified. SOI is in the
forefront of providing tidal information for the Indian Ocean by observing sea
level data at various ports of India and other countries. These are crucial for
scientific study in fields including climatology modelling, analysis of sea level
changes, predicting tsunami, etc. Besides, this is also important input for sea
navigation.
Geo-spatial data are being generated at various levels and by various
agencies. These are being utilized for various application which need the
integration of data from various sources. To enable this data integration, SOI
has taken in its hand a herculean task of redefining the vertical datum of geoids
by establishing a network of well spread standard ground control points
throughout the country. This will enable the state cadastral department besides
other agencies and industries engaged in acquiring geo-spatial information to
carry out their job in a national reference system.
While Survey of India meets the national needs in cartography, some
specialised thematic maps required to meet the needs of the specific users are