Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development (IMSD)
Under IMSD, locale-specific action plans for sustainable development of land and water resources are generated on watershed basis, integrating thematic information generated using satellite data with collateral/conventional information and socioeconomic inputs. The action plans are basically recommendations towards improved soil and water conservation for ensuring enhanced productivity, while maintaining ecological/ environmental integrity of the area/region. The action plans, to illustrate, address identification of sites/areas for surface water harvesting, groundwater recharge, soil conservation measures - through check dams, vegetation bunding; sites/recommendations for improved/diversified farming systems with fodder, fuel wood plantations, agroforestry, agro-horticulture, etc.These action plans are generated  by the joint involvement with the respective Governments departments, State Remote Sensing Centres, universities, private entrepreneurs and NGOs.

 
                                                                                                                           IMSD Sample Study

National (Natural) Resources Information System (NRIS)

NRIS forms the core information system for the NNRMS and is oriented to aid decision-makers at national, regional, state and district levels to plan various developmental activities in a scientific, systematic, timely and optimum manner. The NRIS provides spatial data-bases of spatial (thematic) and non-spatial data with GIS solutions for decision making.  It is organised in  interlinked/networked hierarchy so as to cater to free flow of resources information. This venture has set a new trend amongst State-level missionery to have organised natural resources databases at district level.

                                                                                                                            NRIS Concept
Bio-diversity Characterisation
A major project has been taken up for Biodiversity Characterisation at Landscape Level to prepare Biological zone maps and establishment of disturbance gradient for important bio-diversity rich areas of the country using remote sensing and GIS.  RRSSCs are actively involved in the project both in database creation and providing software solutions under image processing and GIS domain. The project is aimed at prioritising areas for bioprospecting and conservation.

 

Agro-climatic Planning and Information Bank (APIB)

A pilot project on APIB in Karnataka State (in South India) has been on-going for consolidating the large amount of statistical and spatial information generated by various organisations and to create a single-window knowledge base for agricultural development. The purpose is to provide area specific information on all aspects of farm management that can be implemented by the farmer himself.  This bank is not only an information or data bank but also a facilitator by providing the users with tools required for preparing developmental plans.

 

Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission

This is a national mission with an objective of creating scientific database for ground water using remote sensing technology.  RRSSCs are involved in the generation of precision products and ground water prospect maps at 1:50,000 scale for the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhrapradesh, Madhyapradesh and Rajasthan.

 

Crop Acreage and Production Estimation

This is a important national mission wherein remote sensing techniques are used in providing pre-harvest estimates on crop acreage for major crops in various states in the country.  RRSSCs have been actively involved with Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad in providing software solutions through a package "CAPEWORKS".  The package is operationally being used in all ISRO workcentres and various State remote sensing centres regularly during the cropping seasons to derive the necessary information related to crops acreage.

 

Watershed related studies

RRSSCs are actively involved in watershed development related studies in the country.  IMSD project has paved the way for scientific approach for planning and implementation of certain action plans to improve the land productivity and water resources in a given watershed.   RRSSCs are actively involved at national level in monitoring/evaluation of watersheds treated under NWDPRA scheme using multitemporal remote sensing data.  Methodology for operationally executing such a project was developed within RRSSCs on a pilot mode and the same has been operationally utilised for the project.
 

Disaster Management System – Flood damage Assessment

RRSSC Kharagpur, one of the regional centres, is well located  to provide quick information related to flood and cyclone related disasters.  The centre is actively involved in generating such an information using remote sensing and GIS techniques.  RRSSC are actively involved in creating digital databases for the  flood-prone region of Assam and developing information system for decision making for effective management of disaster.  The methodology can be replicated for other flood affected areas in due course of time.
 

Study of potential and actual area under sericulture through Remote Sensing.

Remote sensing techniques have been proved to be useful in studies related to sericulture which basically refers to identification of mulberry growing areas.  The technique has proved to be very successful and cost effective in the country.  RRSSCs are currently involved in a national mission on the project.