NESAC projects strengthen border management and Northeast development: Jitendra Singh
New Delhi: The North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) is supporting national security and regional development through space technology, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday. Besides border management, NESAC projects support agriculture, disaster management and natural resource planning. They also include geospatial mapping of the India-Myanmar border and inter-State boundaries.
The Minister visited NESAC at Umiam in Meghalaya. There, he reviewed the Centre’s work. He also said NESAC has become a key link between advanced space technology and the development needs of the eight Northeastern States.
Dr. Singh said NESAC is implementing nearly 130 space application projects. Of these, about 50 are complete and 78 are under way. The projects cover agriculture, forestry, water resources, geosciences, urban planning, geoinformatics, satellite communication, UAV applications, atmospheric sciences, disaster management and capacity building.
NESAC projects support development
The Minister said NESAC has strengthened cooperation with State Governments. As a result, space technology now supports planning, governance, resource management and public services.
Further, he called for closer cooperation between NESAC, the North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council and State Governments. He said bamboo mapping would improve resource planning. It would also strengthen the value chain and create sustainable livelihoods.
Dr. Singh urged the Centre to improve its flood early warning system. This will provide more accurate alerts to vulnerable communities. In addition, he asked States to adopt successful water harvesting models, including the Ramakrishna Mission project in Cherrapunjee.
NESAC projects aid border management
Dr. Singh said NESAC should continue supporting national priorities in border areas. At the same time, it should strengthen the GeoTourism ‘ManzilNE’ dashboard. This would encourage greater private sector participation and promote tourism across the Northeast.
Moreover, he asked NESAC to expand partnerships with Central Ministries, State Governments, research institutions, universities, start-ups and industry. Such collaboration would help convert scientific innovations into practical solutions.
Finally, Dr. Singh said the Northeast has emerged as a major growth region under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He expressed confidence that NESAC projects would strengthen governance, improve disaster resilience and support sustainable development across the region.
