New Delhi, April 21: After relenting on the issue of extending cellular phone services to the entire Northeast, the defence ministry has now agreed to mapping of Assam through remote-sensing satellites, barring “some exceptions”.

The ministry’s clearance is good news for the Assam government, which believes remote-sensing satellite data will give it a better understanding of the needs of specific areas.

“Remote-sensing satellite data and their applications will greatly help in the task of identification of resources, the existing imbalances in the state and the strategy required to develop certain areas. Moreover, the model of governance now has to change towards a more people-oriented, faster and efficient mode. Remote sensing fits into the scheme of things and the indications from Central government institutions are positive,” chief minister Tarun Gogoi told The Telegraph.

A senior member of the Congress government echoed the chief minister. “Once the programme starts, we will receive data that will benefit the state immensely,” he said.

A source in the Union home ministry said “data flow” to Assam would begin soon.

The defence ministry’s decision to allow collection of data on parts of Assam through remote-sensing satellites is seen as “loosening of strings” after a strict security regime. It was only last year that the ministry agreed to extension of cellular phone services to the entire Northeast. “The defence ministry’s reluctance to allow Assam, especially Guwahati and its surrounding areas, to be mapped through remote-sensing satellites stemmed from fears over security and related issues.

Now that it has granted permission, a big hurdle has been crossed and the Assam government can expect to get the necessary data from the department of space in a short while,” the home ministry source said. However, “vital installations” such as army bases and bridges in the state, will be either “blacked out” or erased from the map so that “security is not compromised”.