Bharti Institute of Public Policy, ISB (BIPP) at the Indian School of Business launched the IndiaDataPortal 2.0 (www.indiadataportal.com), a state-of-the-art platform re-engineered to revolutionise data accessibility, analysis, and visualisation.

The portal launch was preceded by an interesting panel discussion on ‘Unleashing the revolution of Open Data Ecosystem: Impact, Challenges, and Future Directions.’ The panellists were Prerna Mukharya, Founder, Outline India; Srinivas Kodali, Independent Technologist; Rahul Bhandari IAS, Resident Commissioner, Government of Punjab based in New Delhi; and Rakesh Dubuddu, Founder and CEO, Factly Media & Research. The panel was moderated by Professor Ashwini Chhatre, Executive Director, Bharti Institute of Public Policy.  

Opening the discussion, Prof. Chhatre said that in the ever-evolving landscape of data utilisation, a group of experts have come together to address critical issues and opportunities in government data collection, sharing, and policymaking. He said, “The contours of the open data landscape have evolved and transformed over time. The readability of data has become easier than before, as we see a departure from non-machine-readable formats to computer vision and image analysis, which are more amenable. Government alone cannot be the harbinger of change in the open data landscape, the growth of new technology would act as a potential solution to reconcile the demand and supply side. These initiatives, led by individuals with extensive domain expertise, aim to simplify and broaden the accessibility of government data for the benefit of all.”

Talking about a collaborative approach, Prerna Mukharya said that focus should be on engaging with the government to streamline data collection processes with the overarching goal being to empower partners and stakeholders to make better informed decisions. Among the challenges, she spoke about data disparities and the lack of accessible data points. “By addressing these issues and promoting intergovernmental data sharing, the initiative seeks to maintain data fidelity while supporting effective government policymaking,” she said.

 Srinivas Kodali, highlighted the evolving data landscape, noting the increasing frequency of positive responses to data-related enquiries. He emphasised on the ongoing debate surrounding data classification – what should be made public and what should remain confidential. He underscored the need for a systematic classification process within every government department, one that was yet to be fully realised.

With a wealth of experience in bureaucracy, Rahul Bhandari shared insights from his tenure in Punjab, where the collection of data significantly improved land revenue. He questioned the efficacy of the Right to Information (RTI) and called for a better equipped data collection team to support government decision-making.

“To provide context, the concept of Real-Time Information (RTI) was an integral part of a broader strategic vision. The primary focus initially was on deploying information resources precisely where they were most required,” Rakesh Dubuddu said.