Bhubaneswar: For promoting efficient governance, transparency and accessible service delivery, reliable data is essential. Odisha is digitizing its data infrastructure to create a strong framework for collecting, sharing, storing, and using data.
Recognizing the value of data from Government departments, organizations, and institutions, the Electronic and IT Department drafted Odisha State Data Policy (OSDP), which provides comprehensive guidelines for data management.
The scope and applicability of this Data Policy are defined in adherence to Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, and Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.
The Department has sought suggestions and feedback from different stakeholders and individuals on the draft policy before notifying it.
The policy ensures citizen privacy while effectively using data for evidence-based decision-making, thereby promoting informed governance.
The data policy also aims to streamline the accessibility and sharing of Government-owned data. It provides open access to data in a format that supports sustainable governance, inclusive planning, effective implementation, and monitoring of development programs.
OSDP prioritizes principles such as non-redundancy, openness, flexibility, interoperability, quality, efficiency, accountability, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), and the rights to privacy and information.
The policy is also emphasizing the protection of personal data to prevent identity information from being disclosed.
The OSDP adheres to relevant laws, including those at central and state levels that govern information protection, data security, privacy and remove legal barriers that hinder institutions and individuals from using data for the public good.
The Policy would help the State in improving governance, economic growth, effective disaster management and response, and better access & decision-making.
Economic development will happen by adopting data policy by all departments of the State. Factors such as data-driven decision making, innovative initiatives, and reduced corruption through transparent access to necessary data will significantly contribute to the State’s growth, officials said.
The transparent data practices can make Odisha more appealing to investors. When investors have access to reliable data, it can lead to improvements in the state’s economy, infrastructure, and regulatory environment, the officials said.
The Data Policy will facilitate the collection and sharing of geospatial and environmental data, which are crucial for disaster management and response efforts. Effective use of this data can also save lives and reduce economic losses. It will enhance Odisha’s capacity to forecast, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, they said.
The policy will support the sharing of open and transparent data, ensuring that authentic users have access to the prepared metadata. This will enable decision-making to be more straightforward and efficient, based on the availability and accessibility of data for tasks across different departments.
It will ensure the security and responsible use of citizens’ personal information, adhering to privacy standards and safeguarding against breaches without compromise.
Additionally, the policy will protect citizens’ privacy rights through a comprehensive regulatory and legal framework that governs the collection, sharing, security, storage, and maintenance of high-quality data.
The robust data policy proposed to create a favorable and lasting environment for startups and digital businesses, fostering entrepreneurship throughout the State.
Besides, the proposed Data Policy will be instrumental in supporting job creation. The data-driven insights produced by various departments will facilitate the gathering, analysis, and sharing of employment-related data, which will be advantageous for job seekers.