A Proposal for studying Decision-making and Spatial Data Infrastructures in the Public Sector in India Prasanna Kolte* 1 , Luc Boerboom 1 , Gianluca Miscione 1 and Yola Georgiadou 1 1 International Institute for Geo-Information Management and Earth Observation (ITC), The Netherlands, * kolte@itc.nl Abstract This paper is based on a research-in-progress which focuses on public decision-making in a selected Indian city using the case of spatial data infrastructure in citizens’ participation in local government budgeting. We are particularly interested in the ways in which spatial information is used in public decision-making and the contributions of local spatial data infrastructures in participatory decision-making in Indian cities. We will do this using the concept of ‘frames’ to investigate cognition and behaviour to study use of spatial information by decision-makers in the public sector (particularly, public administration). This has implications for upscaling and institutionalisation of spatial data infrastructures in Indian cities. Keywords: decision-making, frames, spatial data infrastructure, spatial information, public administration, public participation, participatory resource allocation, India 1. Spatial Data Infrastructures and Public Decision-Making This research focuses on studying use of spatial information in public administration in an Indian city. The Indian public administration has a well- established hierarchical structure with a colonial legacy. An important activity in public administration is the collection of data on various aspects (social, economic, political and ecological) of city life, its population and governed space. This data, depending on the purpose, is collected by street-level bureaucrats through their local networks which may constitute of municipal employees, commissioned contractors and consultants, civil society organisations and/or academic researchers. Usually, after collection, the data is aggregated, interpreted and passed on (as information) to high-level city bureaucrats, to policymakers in city council and at state level. In India, most data is available in paper-form, although the computerisation of public administration has already begun. Tacit knowledge plays a vital role in information sharing. Most information is communicated by multiple means such as telephone and mobiles, by post and in-person. Policymakers (city and state) frequently demand information, whereas street-level bureaucrats (for eg. water supply engineers) need domain-specific knowledge and ground data for implementation of public works and services. These are issues that involve decision- making on location of municipal services, ideally, such that a maximum the populations are benefitted and local conflicts are minimized. Information infrastructures – a combination of formal and informal technologies, people and policies – are developed to provide a smoother flow of information (and data) within and across organisations. Spatial information (or geographic information) is an important component of such information. On-time availability of such information to public administrators may help minimize spatial conflicts by assisting in clearer definition of the problem and for finding a more socially acceptable solution to issues, for example, service location issues, and land ownership issues.