Refer - Financial Express
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 4 years
KEY POINTS
· NITI Aayog sought comments on the Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA). The Independence Day address of the prime minister mentioned the upcoming National Cyber Security Strategy, extending optical fibre to six lakh villages; and, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM).
· Basically, there is a set of interconnected issues crying for policy attention: Digital access and inclusion, AI, cybersecurity, personal and non-personal data, intermediary liability, and, blockchain. In addition, diplomacy is engaged in developing cyber norms under the aegis of the UN and, internet governance at multi-stakeholder platforms. Then there is e-commerce, healthtech, fintech, etc.
· Unsurprisingly, there are numerous gaps and overlaps in such a patchwork of policies, legislation and regulatory proposals. For example, Section 91 in the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 deals with the ‘non-personal data’ (NPD). Likewise, the Draft E-Commerce Policy delves more with data than commerce.
· Firstly, the PMO must enunciate an overarching and oversee a ‘Unified Digital Policy Framework’ (UDPF) framework. Outlining a vision, basic principles and establishing institutional mechanism, UDPF would be the pole star guiding all allied policies such as AI, cybersecurity and data privacy as well as those in the realms like education, healthcare and fintech.
· Secondly, the process must be inclusive, lawful, transparent, responsive, accountable and evidence-based. Public consultation is an opportunity for value addition, not an inconvenience.
· Thirdly, it must be accompanied by a robust Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) detailing the rationale for particular choices as well as safeguards against unintended yet foreseeable consequences.
· Last but not least, we need an institutional mechanism for implementation, periodic reviews, including qualitative and quantitative triggers.
