India is at a critical juncture and to take the next big jump, she needs fast development to improve the present economic situation. New technologies that are coming up now promise rapid growth in almost every sector of the economy.
Esri India, the country’s leading Geographic Information System (GIS) Software and Solutions provider, recently organised its flagship event, the Esri India User Conference (UC), in Kolkata. Centred on the theme, GIS — Creating Vision for a New India, one of the biggest gatherings of Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals, outlined the imperative and integrated role of GIS in realising the government’s vision for inclusive and sustainable growth across various regions and sectors.
GIS-based technology key growth driver
Aiming to be a $4-trillion economy by 2022, the Government of India firmly believes that technology will be a key driver for the desired growth. GIS has a significant role in building a New India. GIS professionals and other experts discussed the role of GIS in many critical areas, such as agriculture, health, education, housing for all, disaster management, environmental issues, urban development and governance.
Use of new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Big Data Analytics (BDA), along with GIS, were also discussed and several applications demonstrated. The Esri India User Conference brought together over 600 decision-makers, policy-makers, senior officials, professionals, start-ups, users and technologists to experience the next big things in GIS and how these could be applied to realize the vision of ‘New India’‘The next big socio-economic leap’
‘India is at the cusp of its next phase of socio-economic renaissance with the government’s focus on all-around development of the country. GIS is critical to many of the 41 focus areas identified by NITI Aayog. Numerous government departments are already applying GIS to solve problems in mapping, forestry, water resources, Smart Cities and so on. ArcGIS Pro has become hugely popular and has many features that support the use of Python, R and Notebooks, which make it easier for users to create AI- and ML-based applications’
- Agendra Kumar, President, Esri India
