A new future for cities to emerge from maps! ‘Garuda’ earns Madhya Pradesh national GIS honor
Under the leadership and guidance of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, Madhya Pradesh is setting new benchmarks for administrative efficiency by integrating urban development, information technology, and modern techniques.
In this context, Madhya Pradesh has been honored with the prestigious ‘Achievement in GIS Award’ for the outstanding and innovative use of ‘Garud’ (GIS-based Urban Data Analytics Center)—an integrated GIS-based platform developed by the state's Urban Development and Housing Department.
Agendra Kumar, Director of Esri India, presented this award to Sanket Bhondve, Commissioner of the Urban Development and Housing Department, at a national-level ceremony held in New Delhi.
Sanket Bhondve stated that this national honor serves as a testament to the concrete efforts being made—in line with Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav’s vision—towards technology-driven good governance and transparent urban management. He noted that ‘Garud’ has established data as the cornerstone of decision-making, leading to significant improvements in the financial health of urban bodies, administrative efficiency, and citizen service delivery systems.
A state-of-the-art, integrated GIS-based data analytics center
‘Garud’ is a state-of-the-art, integrated GIS-based data analytics center that consolidates various urban and revenue-related datasets from urban bodies onto a single platform for spatial analysis. Through this digital innovation, the state’s urban bodies are conducting map-based analyses of properties and revenue, accurately identifying unregistered and potential new properties, and formulating effective strategies for revenue enhancement.
Additionally, the system has strengthened and brought transparency to the real-time digital monitoring of water supply and sewerage networks, land use, encroachment control, building permissions, and urban infrastructure.
The monitoring model developed under the ‘Garud’ system enables precise, data-driven analysis of the current status of civic amenities and assets. This system plays a pivotal role in enhancing the operational efficiency of urban bodies, maintaining infrastructure, and ensuring the seamless management of public amenities.