Science & Technology - Nagaland

The Department of Space has set up State Remote Sensing Cell under the Department of Science & Technology way back in 1986. The State Remote Sensing Application Centre under Nagaland Science & Technology Council was also established with only two scientific staff, trained in remote sensing and from National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) formerly known as National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA).

Initially, all the works were done manually and there was a lapse of time for the State Remote Sensing Centre to fully establish. With time the Remote Sensing Centre took up the project with the Department of Space and on requirement of the department some manpower was recruited. With the setting up and initiative of North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC), in 2001 the Remote Sensing Centre was strengthened up with the support from the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Department of Space (DoS). The Department of Space supported the State Remote Sensing Centre in infrastructure with instruments like Scanner, Light Table, Satellite Image, etc.

The State Remote Sensing Centre under Nagaland Science & Technology Council (NASTEC) and the Department of Science & Technology was designated as the partner institute of North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC) and NRSC, Department of Space. It has been acting as the State Nodal Agency for Remote Sensing Application to cater the needs of the State.

The Remote Sensing Application Centre under the Department of Science & Technology was set up with the following aims and objectives:

1. To undertake, promote, guide, coordinate and aid research and development in the field of remote sensing.
   
2. To act as a nodal organisation in the State advising the user agencies and disseminate the remote sensing technology at operational levels.
   
3. To provide research and development support to the teaching and research organisations of the State in specified areas of remote sensing technology.
   
4. To carry out surveys changing land use patterns, environmental changes, irrigation systems, forest resources, and crop disease surveillance
   
5. To develop efficient data acquisition and retrieval system and to act as repository of various natural resources data.
   
6. To organize training, lectures, seminars and symposia for advanced study and Research in space technology and its applications.
   
7. To develop remote sensing techniques and their applications for natural resources management in the State.