Big Data Initiative, Big Data Initiative, Big Data Initiative

Big data refers to the explosion of data available as a result of modern, large scientific experiments and how it far exceeds what has been traditionally available.

Q	A
Context:	Government is trying to collect data of all of its citizens through Aadhaar, CMS (Central Monitoring System) and NATGRID projects; this in turn may initiate the issue of Right to Privacy.
What is Big Data?	Big data refers to the explosion of data available as a result of modern, large scientific experiments and how it far exceeds what has been traditionally available. For example, the amount of data produced from analyzing the network of genes in the last five years exceeds all such data from the fields of life sciences/biomedical research in the last five decades. Government projects that are collecting Big Data Recently Government has initiated steps for collecting big data under following schemes: A. Aadhar People belonging to marginalized sections of society in India often do not have a valid proof of identity. As a result, they miss out on availing social benefits provided by the government. To overcome this Indian government launched a scheme to issue a unique 12-digit number, termed ‘Aadhaar’ (meaning ‘foundation’ or ‘support’) to every resident of India. It is an identification that a person can carry for a life time and potentially use with any service provider. Aadhaar is the world’s largest ID platform. It is also the largest biometric programme in the world, as biometric data of each person is recorded and stored. This unique identification is now being used by various Government agencies to ensure that services and subsidies are made available only to the people to whom they are targeted and preventing leakages in the delivery mechanisms. B. Digilocker DigiLocker provides a personal storage space in the cloud to Indian citizens. Organizations that are registered with DigiLocker can push electronic copies of documents and certificates (e.g. driving license, Voter ID, School certificates) directly into citizens’ lockers. Citizens can also upload scanned copies of their legacy documents in their accounts. These legacy documents can be electronically signed using the eSign facility provided in DigiLocker. A citizen can share these electronic certificates online with various agencies while applying for the services provided by them, without having to provide paper copies. Criticism of Big Data Initiative The critics of the big data are opposing Aadhar scheme, central monitoring system and NATGRID project of the government. They are worrying about the safety of the data as it may infringe the privacy of the people. This may also lead to large increase in state surveillance, which the government takes in form of data collection, data mining and other such invasive methods to prevent crime, terrorist attacks and to deliver welfare service. Further, the NATGRID links multiple government databases. There is no clarity whether the Aadhar will be connected to NATGRID or not. The imbalance of power created by the state’s attempts at treating citizens like pawns is dangerously magnified by advances in digital technology that allow for easy monitoring of communication and access to large amounts of data. The graver threat is a digital replay of colonial era exploitation, with data replacing mineral resources and raw materials as the source of value. Benefits of big Data initiative According to some experts big data when combine with Internet of things, where the majority of gadgets, machines and human will be connected through internet, will open up a future where all important decisions about business, life and society would be taken on the basis of data. This kind of decision making is called as ‘evidence based decision making’. It is already playing a big role in the management of industry and infrastructure. Some argue that with the advances in cloud computing will change how humans think and therefore act and live. But the key actions required for successful implementation of initiatives are: 1. Talent Pool– Create industry academia partnership to groom the talent pool in universities as well as develop strong internal training curriculum to advance analytical depth. 2. Collaborate– Form analytics forum across organization boundaries to discuss the pain-points of the practitioner community and share best practices to scale analytics organizations. 3. Capability Development– Invest in long term skills and capabilities that forms the basis for differentiation and value creation. There needs to be an innovation culture that will facilitate IP creation and asset development. 4. Value Creation– Building rigor to measure the impact of analytics deployment is very critical to earn legitimacy within the organization.
Way forward	The balance between big data initiative and the privacy issue arising out is needed. Moreover, while privacy is necessary for a functional democracy, it is not the only causality of big data. What disturbs besides privacy concern is a digital replay of colonial era exploitation by replacing mineral resources and raw materials with data. Particularly India being a developing country and having less stringent laws regarding cyber security needs to first ensure a safe and secure platform with stringent laws dealing with data.

Context:

Government is trying to collect data of all of its citizens through Aadhaar, CMS (Central Monitoring System) and NATGRID projects; this in turn may initiate the issue of Right to Privacy.

What is Big Data?

Big data refers to the explosion of data available as a result of modern, large scientific experiments and how it far exceeds what has been traditionally available. For example, the amount of data produced from analyzing the network of genes in the last five years exceeds all such data from the fields of life sciences/biomedical research in the last five decades.

Government projects that are collecting Big Data

Recently Government has initiated steps for collecting big data under following schemes:

A. Aadhar

People belonging to marginalized sections of society in India often do not have a valid proof of identity. As a result, they miss out on availing social benefits provided by the government. To overcome this Indian government launched a scheme to issue a unique 12-digit number, termed ‘Aadhaar’ (meaning ‘foundation’ or ‘support’) to every resident of India. It is an identification that a person can carry for a life time and potentially use with any service provider. Aadhaar is the world’s largest ID platform. It is also the largest biometric programme in the world, as biometric data of each person is recorded and stored. This unique identification is now being used by various Government agencies to ensure that services and subsidies are made available only to the people to whom they are targeted and preventing leakages in the delivery mechanisms.

B. Digilocker

DigiLocker provides a personal storage space in the cloud to Indian citizens. Organizations that are registered with DigiLocker can push electronic copies of documents and certificates (e.g. driving license, Voter ID, School certificates) directly into citizens’ lockers. Citizens can also upload scanned copies of their legacy documents in their accounts. These legacy documents can be electronically signed using the eSign facility provided in DigiLocker. A citizen can share these electronic certificates online with various agencies while applying for the services provided by them, without having to provide paper copies.

Criticism of Big Data Initiative

The critics of the big data are opposing Aadhar scheme, central monitoring system and NATGRID project of the government. They are worrying about the safety of the data as it may infringe the privacy of the people. This may also lead to large increase in state surveillance, which the government takes in form of data collection, data mining and other such invasive methods to prevent crime, terrorist attacks and to deliver welfare service.

Further, the NATGRID links multiple government databases. There is no clarity whether the Aadhar will be connected to NATGRID or not.

The imbalance of power created by the state’s attempts at treating citizens like pawns is dangerously magnified by advances in digital technology that allow for easy monitoring of communication and access to large amounts of data.

The graver threat is a digital replay of colonial era exploitation, with data replacing mineral resources and raw materials as the source of value.

Benefits of big Data initiative

According to some experts big data when combine with Internet of things, where the majority of gadgets, machines and human will be connected through internet, will open up a future where all important decisions about business, life and society would be taken on the basis of data. This kind of decision making is called as ‘evidence based decision making’.

It is already playing a big role in the management of industry and infrastructure. Some argue that with the advances in cloud computing will change how humans think and therefore act and live.

But the key actions required for successful implementation of initiatives are:

1. Talent Pool– Create industry academia partnership to groom the talent pool in universities as well as develop strong internal training curriculum to advance analytical depth.

2. Collaborate– Form analytics forum across organization boundaries to discuss the pain-points of the practitioner community and share best practices to scale analytics organizations.

3. Capability Development– Invest in long term skills and capabilities that forms the basis for differentiation and value creation. There needs to be an innovation culture that will facilitate IP creation and asset development.

4. Value Creation– Building rigor to measure the impact of analytics deployment is very critical to earn legitimacy within the organization.

Way forward

The balance between big data initiative and the privacy issue arising out is needed.

Moreover, while privacy is necessary for a functional democracy, it is not the only causality of big data. What disturbs besides privacy concern is a digital replay of colonial era exploitation by replacing mineral resources and raw materials with data. Particularly India being a developing country and having less stringent laws regarding cyber security needs to first ensure a safe and secure platform with stringent laws dealing with data.

Big Data Initiative

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