Stakeholders at the consultation on the Draft National Data Governance Framework Policy sought the continuation of the interaction, information on the functioning of the India Data Management Office, provisions for harnessing the potential of integrated datasets and clarifications around the nature of engagement with private players, said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in a statement.
Over 250 stakeholders from the industry, start-ups, academia, think tanks, international alliances and government officials from various ministries participated in a stakeholders’ interaction on the draft policy.
Some of the participants include policy heads from companies such as Amazon Web Services, IBM, Meta India, Oracle, Google, Jio Public Policy, Deloitte, NTT Global, MapmyIndia, industry bodies such as Nasscom and Ficci, and also Departmental heads from various Ministries including Railways, Panchayati Raj, Textiles, External Affairs and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State, Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship presided over the meeting on Tuesday.
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Furthermore, the stakeholders sought access to annotated datasets for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and active collaboration with private sector and social impact firms to build data capacity, it said.
The government on May 27, had invited inputs on the Draft National Data Governance Framework Policy (NDGFP) that aims to enhance access, quality, and use of data, in line with the current and emerging technology needs of the decade.
It had come after a strong criticism of the previous ‘Draft India Data Accessibility and Use Policy, 2022’, which was opened for public consultation in February, to “radically transform India’s ability to harness public sector data”. It proposed to permit the licensing and sale of public data by the government to the private sector.
Chandrasekhar also highlighted the importance of private stakeholders in participating in the overall data ecosystem and emphasised the government’s focus on ensuring a collaborative and participative approach towards this policy and its implementation.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi encourages public consultation as the most effective way to develop policies with wide inputs from stakeholders. The Ministry of Electronics and IT follows public consultation to ensure global standard laws for India’s globally competitive Digital Economy and startups,” he said.
The draft policy and the sound foundation upon which it is built will focus on improving the institutional framework for government data sharing, promoting principles around privacy and security by design, encouraging the use of anonymisation tools and ensuring equitable access to non-personal data for both the public and private sector, he added.
As per the MeitY’s draft note on May 27, all ministries and their departments will have data management units (DMUs) that will be headed by the Chief Data Officer, who will work closely with IDMO and also be responsible for the implementation of the data governance policy.