Data Governance Quality Index released by NITI Aayog: Key Facts

The NITI Aayog and Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) recently conducted the Data Governance Quality Index Survey. According to the survey, the Department of Fertilizers that works under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers was ranked third. The department scored 4.11 out of 5 on Data Quality Index. Around 65 departments and ministries were surveyed.

Key Highlights

The main aim of the index is to bring in healthy competition among the ministries and departments. It also intends to promote the habit of learning and adopting the best practices from each other. Thus, the index will help improve efficacy in implementing government schemes, policies and programmes. It will in turn drive to achieve target goals on time and with ease.

The themes of the index are as follows

• Use of Technology
• Data Quality
• Data Generation
• Data Analysis, use and dissemination
• Data Security
• Human Resource Capacity and case studies

The index classified the ministries into six categories such as strategic, administrative, infrastructure, economic, social and scientific.

DMEO

The office was formed in 2015. It was formed by merging Independent Evaluation Office and Programme Evaluation Office. The office is attached to NITI Aayog. It works to fulfil the monitoring and evaluating mandate of NITI Aayog.

The DMEO monitors through Output-Outcome Framework. In relation to Union Budget 2019-20, this framework has an important role. This is because, it shifted the paradigm of measuring physical and financial progress towards governance-based outcomes.

The DMEO has been assigned to evaluate all the Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the country. This will help in rationalizing the schemes

Centrally Sponsored Schemes

The Central Schemes are divided into Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Central Sector Schemes. The Central Sector Schemes are 100% funded by the Central Government. They are formulated mostly from the Union list.

The Centrally Sponsored Schemes on the other hand, are those where there is participation of both centre and states in terms of finances. These Centrally Sponsored Schemes are further divided into Core Schemes, Optional Schemes and Core of the Core Schemes.

Currently, there are six core of core schemes. They are National Social Assistance Programme, Umbrella Scheme for Development of Scheduled Castes, Umbrella Programme for Development of Other vulnerable Groups, Umbrella programme for development of minorities, umbrella programme for development of scheduled tribes and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme.

There are 22 core schemes being implemented currently.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2020