First “Data Forum Report 2024” released

Data is considered as an invaluable resource all over the world – Deputy Chief Minister Shri Singh Deo

Bhubaneswar -21.11.2024

A two-day workshop on ‘Data Forum-2024’ organized by NITI AYOG Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India and World Bank with support of the Department of Planning and Convergence Department, Government of Odisha has started today. The workshop is being held for two days on November 21 and 22 and is being attended by senior officials from various states, Union Territories, various departments of the Government of India, academicians etc. This workshop is the second programme of NITI AYOG’s state workshop series. The first workshop of this series was held on November 17, 2023, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Deputy Chief Minister, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment, Energy, Odisha  Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo joined as the Chief Guest in the Data Forum- 2024 by NITI State Workshop Series. He said that Data serves as key role for informed decision making. It enables us to address the pressing issues effectively by designing solutions that are grounded and implementable.  When Governments and policy makers make decisions based on data, we can improve service delivery, enhance transparency for citizens and achieve more effective results. This makes data a high-value asset throughout the globe. 

 He added that to mark the 100th anniversary of formation of our Odisha, our government has envisioned to work towards making Odisha a developed State by 2036 and contribute towards the vision of ‘Vikasit Odisha for Vikasit Bharat @2047’. Evidence-based decision-making and data is crucial for attaining the goal of Vikasit Odisha. Odisha have undertaken various initiatives to strengthen our statistical system through the World Bank supported project and adoption of data dissemination policy. We are restructuring our statistical system to meet the challenges of the future. Odisha government is also undertaking Crop Digital survey to fill data gaps and enable various stakeholders to access accurate and timely data points about farming practices and cultivated area in the State,  e-Chasa app and portal for this. 

      A large share of administrative and survey data in India is generated at the state level. Govt. uses data for various activities like Census of Minor Irrigation (MI), Census of Major and Medium Irrigation (MMI), Census of Water bodies, Spring Census, Agriculture census, Economic Census etc. which captures rich data about irrigation, water bodies, land use pattern and industries etc. which would help in understanding the on-ground situation and enabling better policy decisions. 

 In addition, the Paddy Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) (2017) in Odisha has been recognized as a transformative initiative that leverages technology and data analytics to streamline paddy procurement process within the state. Odisha’s emergency response approach utilizes real-time data from remote sensing technologies, satellite imagery and weather forecasting models to improve preparedness, response, and recovery efforts during natural calamities. These data-driven approaches have enhanced effective allocation of resources, better decision-making, and ultimately saving millions of lives among affected communities.

  Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja said, “While we aim to become a developed Odisha by 2036 and to contribute to a developed India by 2047, we need access to accurate data for accelerated development and growth. He stressed on the need for targeted, accountable, innovative, time-based and easy access of data in taking quick decisions, which would help in decision-making.” Technology will help in this regard and this will enable the government to work more efficiently, he added. 

 The First “Data Forum Report 2024” forum has been released by the dignitaries on the occasion.   

The Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary to Govt.,Odisha  Smt. Anu  Garg  said that the Data helps the decision-makers in the successful implementation of the scheme. She said that  Subhadra Scheme, which was recently implemented for the welfare of women, could be possible to be implemented to the deserving beneficiaries in a transparent manner despite facing multi-faceted challenges due to our availability of Data  She also said that whether it is the use of data in Disaster management and Aspirational District Programmes or accelerating various development programmes  of the State by using the Data from the PM Gatishakti Portal, the importance of data always be given importance. 

In inaugural session, Ms. Anna Roy, Principal Economic Advisor, NITI Aayog presented opening remarks, introduction and overview of the Data Forum, 2024 Workshop. She also highlighted that the conference has created opportunities for improving Data ecosystem.   

 In inaugural panel discussion, Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Co-ordinator in India ,  Dr. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Ayog said about the expectation of Data forum,2024. Dr. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog said that the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India is giving importance to the finances run by the data. There is a need to prepare a robust data system for the future of Durkaryam due to inconsistencies in the data. For this, everyone will have to work together, he said. World Bank data system Specialist Ms.  Shreya Dutta Mishra coordinated the programme and invited the speaker for holding of the programme. 

The second session of the workshop focused on activity: Towards an enabling environment for data-driven development. Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, said that the impact of the Data Workshop has led to a lot of changes in this year from the workshop held in Lucknow in 2023.  Shri Singh also highlighted how data driven governance plays a major role in good governance. 

The session was attended by World Bank’s Task Team Leader and Senior Economist Thomas Danieleweitz, former Chief Statistician of Canada, Shri Anil Arora, Chief Executive officer of Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency Mr. Govinda Rao, Director, Department of Information technology, Government of Assam, Mr. K.S.P.V. Pravan Kumar, Deputy Director General, MoSPI Computer Centre, Mr. Rohit Bhardwaj and World Bank’s Senior Digital Development Specialist  Mr. Arun Sharma. They focussed about the development of  India’s digital public infrastructure , and essential factors that contribute to a robust data governance framework to unlock value, including regulatory compliance, organisational culture and skills, technology Infrastructure and state holder engagement .  This was followed by a Question-Answer session led by World Bank Task Team leader Mr. Danielewetz. Shri Bijay Bhushan Nanda, Director, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Odisha along with other senior officials of the State Planning and Convergence Department were present on the occasion. 

On the second day tomorrow, experts from India and from different states, including the World Bank, are scheduled to participate in the discussions related to this workshop.

In an increasingly interconnected world, data has become the cornerstone of informed decision making. It is the fuel that propels effective planning and policy making, which enables policy makers, investors, researchers, and citizens to navigate complex challenges with precision and foresight. Whether in the realm of health care, education, economics, or environmental sustainability, the importance of reliable, comprehensive, and timely data cannot be overstated. India has been a front-runner in digital transformation over the last decade. Around 1.3 billion people have been registered on Aadhaar, which has become ubiquitous in government-citizen, and increasingly in private sector interactions as well. Over 15 million micro, small, and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) have been registered on the MSME Portal, UDYAM. A similar number of firms are registered as GST taxpayers. Hundreds of government services are now offered online through digital one-stop shops. This has unleashed digital data flows with an enormous potential for governance.