Gram Manchitra application

About Gram Manchitra application

• In order to encourage the Spatial Planning by the Gram Panchayat, Ministry of Panchayati Raj had launched the Geographic Information System (GIS) application “Gram Manchitra”
• This application facilitates and supports Gram Panchayats to perform planning at Gram Panchayat level using geo-spatial technology.
• It provides a single/ unified Geo Spatial platform to better visualize the various developmental works to be taken up across the different sectors and provide a decision support system for Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).
• Further, Ministry has launched mActionSoft, a mobile based solution to help in capturing photos with Geo-Tags (i.e. GPS Coordinates) for the works which have asset as an output.
• Geo-tagging of the assets is done in all three stages viz. (i) before start of the work, (ii) during the work and (iii) on completion of work. 
• This would provide a repository of information on all works and assets related to natural resource management, water harvesting, drought proofing, sanitation, agriculture, check dams and irrigation channels etc.
• Assets geo-tagged using the m-ActionSoft application is available on Gram Manchitra, enhancing the visualization of various developmental works in the Gram Panchayats.
• The assets created under the finance commission funds are geotagged with the photographs of assets by the Panchayats.
• Significance
  • It will help Gram Panchayat officials develop realistic and achievable development plans.
  • These tools provide a decision support system in the preparation of development plans viz. tools for identifying potential sites for development projects, asset tracking, estimating the costs of projects, and assessing the impact of projects.

Q1) What is Spatial planning?

It is an interdisciplinary field in the engineering and social sciences that deals with the spatial arrangement and development of living, working and environmental conditions at a wide range of spatial levels.

Source: Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched Geographic Information System application “Gram Manchitra” to encourage the Spatial Planning by the Gram Panchayat