The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved a new draft National Map Policy under which two new series of maps -- Defence Series and Open Series -- would be released.
The Defence Series Maps would be for exclusive use of defence forces and authorised government departments. The policy regarding the use of DSMs would be determined by the Ministry of Defence.
The Open Series Maps would be the responsibility of the Survey of India and the Department of Science and Technology. The OSMs would be available to the public, Union
Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters.
He said technological upheavals taking place around the globe have rendered many features of the existing National Map Policy redundant and anachronistic and continuance of the present policy tended to impede free flow of spatial information and engenders high opportunity costs for a developing economy like India.
At the same time, making all spatial data available in public domain has potential security hazards, he said adding the new National Map Policy would address all these concerns.