Odisha government to formulate new data policy for WB-funded OSCRGP soon
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government will soon formulate and adopt a new data dissemination policy based on a web-first strategy for effective implementation of World Bank-funded Odisha State Capability and Resilient Growth Programme (OSCRGP).
The Rs 1,200 crore programme that aims at strengthening early forecasting systems for improved response to disasters and enhancing social protection coverage for poor and vulnerable households through digital platforms will cover three components. It will reinforce social protection delivery platform, enhance capacity for disaster resilience and help the state improve management of data for evidence-based policy making and planning besides strengthening its economics and statistics wing that handles data.
Official sources said the policy will be ready by the end of this year. A data steering and governance committee, expected to be constituted by January next year will monitor implementation of the policy in letter and spirit. A project management and data analytics unit will be set up in the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) by December to oversee institutional development, capacity building, and incubation of new statistical products.
Since better data and delivery mechanisms can lead to stronger resilience, the new IT driven programme will support the state’s efforts to enhance digital social service delivery systems with the help of computer assisted survey technology.
A Finance department official said the initiative will help strengthen the organisational capacity of Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) to be future-ready and operationalisation of State Institute for Disaster Management (SIDM).
“It will also address risks and gender gaps in the social protection system and allow for future planning. All districts have been asked to share all information and data with the state emergency operations centre and geospatial laboratory by the end of December,” he said.
The state has village disaster management plans in 9,986 villages. Since disaster management plans are not linked with development programmes, it has been decided to create risk-informed disaster management plans in vulnerable panchayats in phases.
The decision was taken at a wrap-up meeting with the World Bank mission team chaired by development commissioner Anu Garg. Of the Rs 1,200 crore programme, the WB loan is around Rs 830 crore and the rest will be borne by the state government.
Meanwhile, Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) has finalised the process and onboarding of the system integrator for development and implementation of social protection delivery platform with its roll-out plan. OCAC has been tasked to prepare an evaluation report on different information/alert broadcasting systems at the state level by March, 2024.
New direction
The new policy will be ready by the end of this year
Policy implementation to be monitored by a data steering and governance committee
The new IT driven programme will support state’s efforts to enhance digital social service delivery systems