Odisha Holds Consultative Workshop on Data-Driven Governance Ahead of National Summit

Bhubaneswar: Strengthening the use of administrative data for governance, the Directorate of Economics & Statistics (DE&S) under the Planning & Convergence Department, Government of Odisha, organised an internal consultative workshop at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan.

The workshop served as a precursor to an upcoming national-level summit on “Using Administrative Data for Governance: Harmonising Departmental Data at State Level,” bringing together senior officials, domain experts, and representatives from key departments to deliberate on improving data systems and inter-departmental coordination.

Addressing the inaugural session, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh highlighted the growing importance of data-driven governance in achieving sustainable development goals and enhancing administrative efficiency.

In his presentation, Pradeep Kumar Rout, Special Secretary of the Electronics & IT Department and CEO of Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC), emphasised the role of digital infrastructure in enabling seamless data sharing and analytics. He stressed the need to build an integrated and dynamic data ecosystem for the state.

Providing a contextual overview, B. B. Nanda, Director of DE&S, underlined the increasing relevance of administrative data in policymaking, monitoring, and service delivery. He called for greater standardisation, interoperability, and improvements in data quality across departments.

Technical sessions witnessed active participation from multiple departments, including Health & Family Welfare, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Higher Education, Finance, Mission Shakti, Housing & Urban Development, and Skill Development & Technical Education. Representatives presented their datasets, use cases, and challenges related to data collection, quality assurance, and sharing.

Discussions highlighted gaps in existing data systems and stressed the need for capacity building, standardised protocols, and institutional mechanisms to ensure effective data integration. Participants also emphasised the importance of real-time data and advanced analytics to support informed decision-making.

The workshop concluded with a synthesis session outlining key findings and a roadmap for future action. Officials said the outcomes will contribute to developing a comprehensive plan for strengthening administrative data systems and governance in Odisha.