Draft National Data Governance Framework Policy

In News

• Recently, the draft plan on the National Data Governance Framework was released by the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY).

Draft National Data Governance Framework Policy (NDGFP)

• Focus of the Policy:
  • The draft policy focuses on improving the institutional framework for:
    • Government data sharing, 
    • Promoting principles around privacy and security by design, and 
    • Encouraging the use of anonymization tools.
• Aim:
  • To standardise the government’s data collection and management while catalysing AI and Data led research and a startup ecosystem.
• India Data Management Office (IDMO):
  • The draft includes plans for setting up the India Data Management Office (IDMO) on the lines of the US Federal Data Management Office.
    • IDMO will be set up under Digital India Corporation for framing, managing and periodically revising the policy. 
• Data Management Units (DMUs):
  • As per the draft, all ministries will have data management units (DMUs) 
  • DMUs will be headed by a Chief Data Officer.
    • They will be responsible for the implementation of the data governance policy.
• Sharing of data:
  • The policy also seeks to ‘encourage’ private companies to share non-personal data with startups as part of the effort.
  • IDMO shall notify protocols for sharing of non-personal datasets while ensuring privacy, security and trust. 
  • IDMO will notify rules to provide data on priority/exclusively to Indian/ India-based requesting entities. 

Draft India Data Accessibility and Use Policy 2022

• Earlier the Centre released the draft India Data Accessibility and Use Policy 2022.
• Issues:
  • However, it was criticised by internet activists and civil society members over its bid to monetise non-personal data gathered from citizens.
  • Under fire, the government later rescinded the policy and unveiled the new framework in May this year under the new name, NDGFP.
• Changes:
  • The new framework has skipped the contentious clause that allowed the sale of data collected by the government in the open market.

Challenges

• Data sharing with Big Techs:
  • Large repository of India-specific datasets that will be created under the National Data Governance Framework Policy (NDGFP) will not be available for commercial operations of Big Techs.
• Indian startups:
  • The repository of datasets will only be available for Indian startups.
  • There is no clarity on whether Indian startups meant those registered in India or those with operations in the country.
• Non-personal data identification:
  • Concerns are raised on the definition of non-personal data. 
  • The issue is, if there would be an ‘absolute boundary’ for defining non-personal data citing that many non-personal datasets when combined with other datasets can lead to identification. 
• Data centralisation:
  • The concerns are raised regarding the data centralisation aspect of the NDGFP when the world was moving towards decentralised frameworks like Blockchain.
• Operations of the IDMO:
  • As of now there is no clarity on the operations of the IDMO.

Way Ahead

• Data has grown to be an important economic and social resource. 
• In India, the government is the biggest data repository. 
• A policy framework is essential not only because currently there is no legal measure to protect non-personal data in the country, but also to streamline government data sharing which faces several bottlenecks today.
• The NDGFP demonstrates the Indian government’s recognition of the immense value that can be unlocked through harnessing non-personal data.

Source: PIB