Cabinet elevates Gujarat-based space agency as national institute under MeitY

The government on Wednesday elevated Gujarat-based space agency BISAG to a national institute under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to expand its scope of activities and research.

"The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved Elevation of Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG), Gujarat as Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG(N)) under Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY)," an official statement said.

BISAG is a state agency of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat, and its governing body is chaired by the chief secretary of the state.

The elevation of BISAG has been done to maintain efficiency and innovation of services, facilitate implementation of expanded scope of activities, efficient rollout of GIS projects and facilitate aid, research and development at the institute, according to the statement.

This is not a new organisation but only an elevation of existing body which will be an autonomous scientific society under the Government of India instead of the state government, it added.