The NITI Aayog launched the first course on Sustainable Urban planning using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) at IIT Kanpur’s outreach centre in Noida.
- This course is being conducted under the Global Initiative on Academic Network (GIAN) Program of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and supported by NITI Aayog and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
- Principal Adviser, NITI Aayog, Ratan P. Watal, inaugurated the course at a function in Noida on 15th January, 2018.
- Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Shiv Das Meena, was the Guest of Honour on this occasion.
- In his inaugural speech, Mr. Wattal emphasized the need to harness the potential of GIS and Remote Sensing technology to address the challenges of urbanization and urged the participants to provide smart solutions for smart cities.
- The course is being coordinated by Professor Rajiv Sinha from the Department of Earth Sciences at IIT Kanpur and Dr. Patrice Carbonneau from the Department of Geography, University of Durham, UK.
- This course aims to give participants state-of-the-art remote sensing and GIS skills which will allow them to rise to the challenge of managing the rapidly changing urban environment of Indian cities. Focus will be on issues such as water resource management, water pollution and strategic emplacements for water treatment facilities.
- Participants from several Government departments such as ISRO, AP Remote Sensing Application Centre, National Mission on Clean Ganga and students from different engineering colleges and universities across the country are attending the course.
- It is expected to contribute significantly to build trained manpower for the Smart Cities Mission, 2015 that aims to promote sustainable and inclusive cities that provide core infrastructure and give decent quality of life to its citizens through clean and sustainable environment and application of Smart Solutions.
About Global Initiative on Academic Network (GIAN)
- Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) in Higher Education is a scheme of HRD ministry that aims to increase footfalls of reputed international faculty to Indian academic institutes; and thereby bring in international academic excellence in India’s higher education institutions.
- It facilitates participation of high quality international academicians for delivering short-term courses and programs in Indian institutions.
- This programme was initially conceptualized as an Indo-US collaboration but later its scope was extended. The programme is initially to be confined to IITs, IIMs, NITs and some central universities with ‘A’ Grade.
