SHILLONG, JULY 14: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra Singh today said the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) has evolved into a vital institution supporting national strategic priorities and the socio-economic development of the North Eastern Region through the application of space technology.
Jitendra Singh said the Centre is contributing to geospatial mapping of the India-Myanmar border as well as inter-State boundaries in the Northeast, while implementing a wide range of technology-driven projects in agriculture, disaster management, natural resource management, water resources and governance. He said these initiatives are bringing the benefits of India’s space programme closer to the people.
Jitendra Singh made these remarks during his visit to NESAC at Umiam, Meghalaya. He was received by NESAC Director S.P. Aggarwal, who gave a comprehensive presentation on the Centre’s achievements and ongoing programmes.
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The presentation covered nearly 130 projects, including around 50 recently completed and 78 ongoing initiatives in areas such as agriculture, forestry, water resources, geosciences, urban and regional planning, geoinformatics and information technology, satellite communication, UAV applications, space and atmospheric sciences, disaster management support, and outreach and capacity-building activities across the North Eastern Region.
Appreciating NESAC’s expanding role in translating advanced space technologies into practical developmental solutions, Jitendra Singh said the Centre has emerged as an important bridge between cutting-edge scientific capabilities and the developmental aspirations of the eight Northeastern States. He said the institution’s growing engagement with State Governments has enabled space technology to become an effective tool for planning, governance, resource management and public service delivery.
The Minister called for closer collaboration between NESAC, the North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC) and concerned State Governments to maximise the benefits of the Centre’s ongoing bamboo mapping programme. He said scientific mapping of bamboo resources would help strengthen the bamboo value chain, facilitate better resource planning, promote value addition and create sustainable livelihood opportunities across the region.
Jitendra Singh also called for further improvement in the precision and location-specific capability of NESAC’s flood early warning system so that communities in vulnerable areas receive more timely and actionable information. He encouraged the Centre to work with State Governments for wider adoption of successful water harvesting models, including the initiative implemented at Ramakrishna Mission, Cherrapunjee, to enhance long-term water security in the region.
Highlighting the strategic importance of geospatial technologies, Jitendra Singh said NESAC’s capabilities should continue to support national priorities in strategically important border regions while maintaining close coordination with concerned agencies. He also encouraged the Centre to strengthen the GeoTourism ManzilNE dashboard by facilitating greater participation from the private tourism sector and enabling technology to promote the Northeast’s rich natural, ecological and cultural heritage.
The Minister further called upon NESAC to deepen its partnerships with Central Ministries, State Governments, research institutions, academia, start-ups, private industry and other stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of space-based applications across sectors. He said greater collaboration would ensure that scientific innovations are translated into scalable and impactful solutions capable of addressing the region’s developmental challenges.
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Jitendra Singh said the North Eastern Region has become one of India’s most dynamic frontiers of growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with science and technology emerging as important enablers of inclusive development.
He expressed confidence that NESAC, through its expanding portfolio of application-oriented programmes and strategic initiatives, will continue to play a pivotal role in strengthening governance, improving disaster resilience, supporting sustainable resource management and advancing the vision of a prosperous and technologically empowered Northeast.
