Government studies public views to fine-tune geospatial bill

New Delhi: As the Centre gets ready to study suggestions received on the draft Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, which proposes up to Rs 100 crore fine or seven years' imprisonment for wrong depiction of India's map, the home ministry sources indicated it may agree to any "sensible" suggestion to improve upon its provisions.

"We will go through the feedback we have received on the draft bill, and if there are any sensible suggestions, they will be agreed to. While we may not scrap the bill altogether, as there is clearly a need to regulate geospatial information, we may alter it depending on suggestions," said a ministry official.

The home ministry had uploaded the draft bill on its website on May 4, inviting comments and suggestions within 30 days. With the bill, slammed by public policy experts for its vague wording and harsh penalties, the internal security division of the home ministry will be compiling and evaluating the suggestions received from various stakeholders.

The home ministry, said an official, will adopt a flexible approach while vetting the final draft to be put up before the Union Cabinet. Sources suggested that valid points or criticism will be looked into and improvements made, wherever possible, to make the bill more reasonable, realistic and easy to implement.