Satellite-based landslide alerts, glacial lake mapping, watershed monitoring among key initiatives, 12 communication satellites cover UT
Srinagar: The Centre on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has implemented a wide range of satellite-based applications and space technology programmes across Jammu and Kashmir over the past five years, spanning disaster management, agriculture, water resources, urban planning, environmental monitoring and broadband connectivity.
Replying to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha MP Gulam Ali, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr. Jitendra Singh said 12 operational communication satellites currently provide coverage over Jammu and Kashmir, with satellite capacity being offered to service providers to strengthen telecommunication and broadband connectivity in the Union Territory.
The Minister said ISRO has launched several projects to improve disaster preparedness and natural resource management in J&K. These include the Satellite Integrated Landslide Assessment and Alert System (SILAAS) for satellite-based landslide mapping and village-level alerts, district-wide landslide inventory mapping following the 2023 monsoon, and preparation of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) hazard and risk maps for Mundiksar Lake in the Indus basin under the National Hydrology Project.
The Centre informed Parliament that geospatial technologies are also being used to monitor the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) and the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY 2.0) across all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the Urban Waterbody Information System (UWaIS) project under AMRUT 2.0, water bodies have been mapped in Srinagar, Jammu and Anantnag, while the Geo-MGNREGA Phase-II project is supporting planning and monitoring of MGNREGA works across all districts using satellite-based information.
The Minister further said ISRO completed the National Wetland Inventory and Assessment project in collaboration with the University of Jammu, providing district-wise wetland mapping across the Union Territory. Another project on Desertification and Land Degradation, undertaken with the University of Kashmir, assessed land degradation and vulnerability in Kathua, Budgam and Udhampur and prepared mitigation plans for micro-watersheds.
The Centre also highlighted the Long-Term Ecological Research Stations (LTERS) project covering the North-West Himalayas, including Jammu and Kashmir, to study climate and ecosystem responses. In addition, the Space-Based Information Support for Decentralised Planning (SISDP-U) project has generated thematic satellite data on land use, settlements, infrastructure and drainage for all districts of the Union Territory. Annual satellite-based land use and land cover assessments have also been carried out from 2021-22 to 2024-25, besides a detailed five-year assessment for 2020-21.
Providing project-wise financial details, the Minister said ₹75.78 lakh has been sanctioned for the ongoing Land Use/Land Cover Project (2025-28) being implemented by the Department of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing (DEERS), Srinagar, of which ₹30.31 lakh has been released and utilised.
The ongoing SILAAS project has received ₹50.16 lakh, while ₹23.36 lakh has been released and utilised through the University of Jammu. The WDC-PMKSY 2.0 Monitoring Project has been sanctioned ₹4.95 lakh, with ₹3.70 lakh released and utilised.
For the Space-Based Information Support for Decentralised Planning (2019-24) project, the Centre sanctioned and released ₹2.20 crore, which has been fully utilised by the Directorate of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing, Jammu and Kashmir. Other projects include ₹27.62 lakh for IWMP watershed monitoring, ₹11.43 lakh for the National Wetland Inventory and Assessment project, and ₹5.91 lakh for the Desertification and Land Degradation project.
The government also informed Parliament that ISRO is expanding its outreach in Jammu and Kashmir through experimental landslide forecasting under SILAAS and regular training programmes for disaster management agencies, including capacity building on the National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM).
The Minister said ISRO has established the Satish Dhawan Centre for Space Science at the Central University of Jammu, where faculty members and research scholars are provided access to ISRO facilities for advanced learning and research. Tele-education services continue under the PM e-Vidya programme, while telemedicine facilities have been extended to the Union Territory through satellite-based connectivity.
To further strengthen digital infrastructure, the Centre said the High Throughput Satellite GSAT-N2, launched in 2024, is enhancing broadband connectivity across the country, including remote, border and tribal areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
