PATNA: The department of science and technology (DST) has begun work on modernising Bihar Remote Sensing Application Centre (BIRSAC) in order to boost its efficiency.
The centre provides a time-efficient and cost-effective method of assessment for planning the state’s development activities.
The BIRSAC will receive a modern laboratory as part of the upgrade, which will include 11 high-end workstations, a primary and backup server, and software and hardware for scientists to work, research, and plan in a variety of fields. The project is estimated to cost around Rs 6 crore.
DST secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh told TOI that by incorporating cutting-edge technology, the centre’s technical capacity would improve its suitability for conducting research on development projects and provide training and apprenticeship to students of ITIs.
The modernisation of BIRSAC will enable it to provide information to the relevant state departments on a variety of projects. It entails forecasting agricultural output using space-based agrometeorological and land-based observations, horticulture assessment and management using geoinformatics, project inventory of forest/tree cover, inventory of fisheries resources using high-resolution imageries of the entire state of Bihar, integrated watershed management project for monitoring and evaluation, space-based information support for decentralised planning, and surveillance of stubble burning.
BIRSAC was established under the auspices of the Bihar Council on Science and Technology (BCST) to leverage new satellite technology to provide necessary inputs to various departments or organizations during the planning process.
BCST officials stated that because the centre’s hardware and software were nearly 10 years old, they must be upgraded to accommodate the state’s expansion of activities.
“The process of procuring the latest hardware and software has already begun. Additionally, the development of a state-of-the-art BIRSAC laboratory is underway and will be completed shortly. The modern laboratory will assist various departments such as agriculture, environment, forest and climate change, water resources, and urban development and housing in developing and implementing their policies,” they added.
