Paperman Media ( Bhubaneswar )- The Directorate of Economics & Statistics (DE&S), under the Planning & Convergence Department, Government of Odisha, successfully organised an Internal Consultative Workshop as a precursor to the forthcoming national-level deliberative summit on “Using Administrative Data for Governance: Harmonising Departmental Data at State Level.” The workshop was held at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar.
The consultation brought together senior officials, domain experts, and representatives from key line departments to deliberate on strengthening administrative data systems and enhancing inter-departmental data harmonisation. The initiative underscores the State Government’s commitment to developing a robust, integrated, and evidence-based governance framework.
The inaugural session was addressed by Shri Deoranjan Kumar Singh, IAS, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha, who emphasised the strategic importance of data-driven governance in achieving sustainable development goals and enhancing administrative efficiency.
The programme began with a welcome address and a presentation from Dr. Pradeep Kumar Rout, Special Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology Department, and CEO, Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC). He elaborated on the critical role of digital infrastructure and data platforms in enabling seamless data sharing and analytics across departments, emphasizing the need to leverage technology to build a unified and dynamic data ecosystem for the State.
Then a contextual overview provided by Dr. B. B. Nanda, Director, DE&S, who highlighted the growing significance of administrative data in policymaking, monitoring, and service delivery. He underscored the need for standardisation, interoperability, and improvements in data quality across departments.
The technical sessions witnessed active participation from various line departments, including Health & Family Welfare, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Higher Education, Finance, Mission Shakti, Housing & Urban Development, Skill Development & Technical Education, among others. Each department showcased its key administrative datasets, current applications in planning and monitoring, success stories, and challenges related to data collection, quality assurance, and data sharing.
The discussions offered valuable insights into existing gaps in administrative data systems and highlighted the need for capacity building, standardised data protocols, and institutional mechanisms for data integration. Participants also emphasised the importance of real-time data availability and advanced analytics in enhancing decision-making processes. Senior officers from various line departments, along with officials from the Planning & Convergence Department, actively contributed to the deliberations by sharing their experiences and perspectives on leveraging administrative data for governance.
The workshop concluded with a synthesis session that consolidated key findings, identified challenges, and outlined a roadmap for future action. The outcomes of the deliberations will inform the development of a comprehensive action plan for administrative data linkage and capacity strengthening in Odisha.
The event marked a significant step towards building a resilient and integrated state statistical system, further reinforcing Odisha’s commitment to leveraging data for inclusive, transparent, and effective governance.
