MYSURU: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is collecting information regarding status of various projects taken under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) popularly known as NREGA through its satellites and is providing the same to the government, according to ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar.
Inaugurating Basava Jayanti celebrations and felicitation ceremony for talented students organised by Akila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasaba here on Sunday, Kiran said crores of rupees have been spent by both Union and state governments on NREGA.
Stating that the ISRO started gathering information about the status of NREGA projects from August 2016, he said irregularities in NREGA projects will be prevented through ISRO’s monitoring system. Giving an example of how the ISRO is helping the government in monitoring the NREGA projects, Kiran said: “A person would claim of the asphalting 3-km road, but in reality, he would have asphalted only 1.5 km. While another may lie about completing a drinking water project. Now ISRO can identify such discrepancies through satellite.” He said once in 10 days, the ISRO has been doing surface water mapping and is providing it to the government.
“Through communication transponders, the ISRO is helping seven countries which have been recognised and appreciated by the United Nations. The ISRO is also providing weather forecast services for various countries,” Kiran said.