New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS): A comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Geospatial Energy Map of India, launched on Monday, will identify and locate all primary and secondary sources of energy and their transportation/transmission networks to provide a comprehensive view of energy production and distribution in the country.

Developed by the NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with the support of energy ministries, the map provides a holistic picture of all energy resources of the country, which enables visualization of energy installations such as conventional power plants, oil and gas wells, petroleum refineries, coal fields and coal blocks, district-wise data on renewable energy power plants and renewable energy resource potential, etc through 27 thematic layers.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and ISRO Chairman Dr K. Sivan were present at the launch event.

A Niti Aayog release said that the map "is a unique effort aimed at integrating energy data scattered across multiple organisations and to present it in a consolidated, visually appealing graphical manner.

"It leverages latest advancements in web-GIS technology and open-source software to make it interactive and user friendly. The Geospatial Energy Map of India will be useful in planning and making investment decisions. It will also aid in disaster management using available energy assets."

Stating that the GIS-mapping of energy assets will be useful for ensuring real-time and integrated planning of energy sector of India, given its large geographical distribution and interdependence, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said: "Energy markets have immense potential to bring in efficiency gains. Going forward, GIS-based mapping of energy assets will be advantageous to all concerned stakeholders and will help in accelerating the policy-making process."