NRDMS METHODOLOGY

The methodology evolved under NRDMS is depicted in the figure below during the second decade. Target groups for NRDMS have been identified as communities, line department officials and representatives of local governance institutions. Under NRDMS a methodology had been developed for their information need assessment. A multi-pronged strategy was being adopted to identify the data needs for performing GIS analysis. The approach was

(i) Study and survey of all the reports, manuals and guidelines on all the government schemes and programme in operation at the levels below district,

(ii) Interaction through workshops with selected line department officials and stakeholders at multi-level to assess their information needs in implementing the schemes

(iii) Analyse and capture the needs of the decision support systems to be developed in the main sectors of integrated development planning viz. Land use planning, water management, amenities location and energy management.

Based on this exercise, a list of the probable applications in different sectors and Master Data List were being prepared indicating the nature of the data, its scale / resolution / frequency of collection. A survey were then to be undertaken to assess the availability of the data with various national mapping agencies like Survey of India, National Atlas & Thematic Mapping Organization, India Meteorological Department, Census of India, local scientific institutions and line departments to generate the required information. The data sets that were still needed but not being collected by any survey agency or line departments were identified as the data gaps, which were then to be generated through primary survey . The available data were then be collected and converted to digital mode.

The next step was the development of an integrated database as per the database principles for easy and efficient storage, management and retrieval of data for relevant information generation. For this purpose, integrated database design had been developed under NRDMS, which took care of the relationship between natural resources and administrative features and the available feature codes for them standardized under National (Natural) Resources Information System (NRIS) programme of the Department of Space were used. Under NRDMS the codes were upgraded in terms of scale and non-existent features like flora, fauna etc.

Development of integrated database is a pre-requisite for developing different information products required for integrated planning like:

a) Resource profiles,

b) Query-based information ,

c) Static and dynamic outputs based on Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS).

Structured organisation of the relevant datasets on an inventory is an essential pre-requisite to the preparation of the resource profile. Information can also be generated by overlaying and querying on different layers in the resource profile . Decision Support Systems (DSS) are defined as computer-based information systems designed to support decision-makers interactively in thinking and making decisions about relatively unstructured problems. Traditionally, DSSs have three major components: a database, a model base and a user interface (Fig. 3).A n extension of the DSS concept, Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSS) , which are the integration of DSS and GIS was initiated by Densham and Goodchild( 1988).Two types of outputs can be generated out of SDDSs ,

a) Static like water yield, silt yield maps etc. and

b) Dynamic like alternate developmental Scenarios.

All these information products became inputs for different developmental plan Preparation.

Figure. NRDMS Methodology evolved during Second Decade (1992-2002)

As seen in Fig.1 target groups for NRDMS had been identified as communities, line department officials and representatives of local governance institutions. Under NRDMS a methodology had been developed for their information need assessment. A multi-pronged strategy was being adopted to identify the data needs for performing GIS analysis. The approach was (i) Study and survey of all the reports, manuals and guidelines on all the government schemes and programmes in operation at the district, (ii) interaction through workshops with selected line department officials and stakeholders at multi-level to assess their information needs in implementing the schemes (iii) analyse and capture the needs of the decision support systems to be developed in the main sectors of integrated development planning viz. Land use planning, water management, amenities location and energy management. Based on this exercise, a list of the probable applications in different sectors and Master Data List were being prepared indicating the nature of the data, its scale / resolution / frequency of collection. A survey were then to be undertaken to assess the availability of the data with various national mapping agencies like Survey of India, National Atlas & Thematic Mapping Organization, India Meteorological Department, Census of India, local scientific institutions and line departments to generate the required information. The data sets that were still needed but not being collected by any survey agency or line departments were identified as the data gaps, which were then to be generated through primary survey . The available data were then be collected and converted to digital mode.

The next step was the development of an integrated database as per the database principles for easy and efficient storage, management and retrieval of data for relevant information generation. For this purpose, integrated database design had been developed under NRDMS, which took care of the relationship between natural resources and administrative features and the available feature codes for them standardized under National (Natural) Resources Information System (NRIS) programme of the Department of Space were used. Under NRDMS the codes were upgraded in terms of scale and non-existent features like flora, fauna etc.