What is the Geological Survey of India (GSI)?

About Geological Survey of India (GSI):

• It was set up in 1851primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways.
• Over the years, it has grown into a repository of geo-science information required in various fields in the country.
• Objective: Providing objective, impartial and up-to-date geological expertise and geoscientific information of all kinds, with a focus on policy-making decisions and commercial and socio-economic needs.
• Under the National Mineral Policy (NMP) 2008, GSI remains the principal agency for geological mapping and regional mineral resources assessment of the country.
• It also emphasises systematic documentation of all geological processes, both surface and subsurface, of India and its offshore areas.
• The organisation carries out this work through geological, geophysical, & geochemical surveys using the latest and most cost-effective techniques and methodologies.
• It is headquartered in Kolkata and has six regional offices located at Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata. Every state has a state unit.
• Presently, GSI is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines.