Bhubaneswar, Oct. 20: The Orissa government will use space-based information for micro-level planning and monitoring of various development projects.

To begin with, the State Watershed Development Mission will utilise these data available through the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

The Orissa Space Applications Centre (OSAC) has been able to create a space-based natural resource atlas of Orissa.

Isro has provided new techniques of acquiring high-resolution space-based data.

The new technique known as SIS-DP (Space-based information support for decentralised planning) is now able to create large scale geographical information system (GIS) data on land cover, settlements, soil, slope, water sources, road net work, public utilities, communication network, health care and so on.

Scientist from Isro Dr Y.V.N. Krishnamurty made a presentation on new techniques of SIS-DP at a meeting to discuss the space-based information support for decentralised planning.

“All the resources of Orissa will be mapped by the new technique. These data can be fruitfully used in grassroots planning for local area development,” said OSAC chief executive A.K. Mohapatra.

The statewide data would be provided by Isro, while the OSAC would extend manpower and infrastructure support, said Mohapatra.

The project will be implemented throughout Orissa in phases.

But, the priority would be on tribal and Maoist-affected districts, he said.

The decision to make use of the space-based information was taken at a meeting, chaired by chief secretary Bijay Patnaik recently.

The Orissa water resource department will utilise the satellite data in planning mega irrigation projects, bore well schemes, ground water planning and utilisation, deciding location of barrages and linking them with large tanks.

“These data will be useful for our department. We will use the space-based data for location of minor irrigation projects, check dams, canal alignment. We will decide the sites of mega lift irrigation projects and bore wells on the basis of data on availability of ground water,” said water resource secretary S.C. Mohapatra.

The space-based data will also be used in plantation programmes taking into consideration soil, water and moisture features of different areas.

Patnaik advised Isro representatives to develop 10,000 scale maps of tribal areas and remote inaccessible places. In the first phase, the western and southern districts will be taken up for such mapping.

Isro officials were also advised to undertake mineral resource reserve pattern in the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh.

A committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of chief secretary to monitor all theses space-based information support activities.