Odisha Unveils State Data Policy with Centralised Governance and Privacy Framework

Odisha has introduced a comprehensive state data policy aimed at building a unified governance framework for data management, privacy protection, and evidence-based public administration. 

Odisha Positions Data as Strategic Governance Asset 

As per news reports, the Odisha State Data Policy 2026 seeks to create an integrated architecture governing the full lifecycle of government data, including collection, storage, sharing, archival and destruction. 

Unlike several earlier state-level frameworks focused largely on digitisation and open-data access, the new policy establishes a broader system covering data ownership, consent management, interoperability, API governance, role-based access controls and safeguards for cross-border data transfers. 

Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary of the Odisha Electronics and IT Department, said the state views data as a strategic resource for governance and economic growth. 

“Data is the next strategic asset for efficient governance and economic growth,” Dev said. 

He added that the framework would strengthen the state’s digital infrastructure while balancing citizen privacy and evidence-based decision-making. 

Central Data Warehouse and Federated Governance Model Proposed 

A key feature of the policy is the proposed Odisha Data Warehouse Portal, which will function as a centralised repository integrating datasets from departments, agencies and autonomous bodies. 

The platform will include dashboards, standardised APIs, online analytical processing capabilities and metadata-driven analytics to support real-time governance and policy formulation. 

The state has adopted a hybrid data-mart structure under which individual departments will continue owning their datasets while integrating them into a central warehouse system. 

The policy also introduces a federated governance structure where departments remain data owners while the Odisha Data Warehouse Portal authority acts as custodian responsible for integration, infrastructure and enforcement standards. 

Datasets have been divided into open-access, registered-access and restricted-access categories. Sensitive sectors including healthcare, mining, governance and law enforcement will remain under restricted classification, while anonymised datasets may be shared for research and innovation purposes. 

Policy Introduces Detailed Consent and Cybersecurity Measures 

The framework includes a detailed consent-management architecture requiring explicit, informed and revocable consent before collection or sharing of personal information. 

The system also provides opt-in and opt-out mechanisms, parental consent provisions for minors and separate approvals for sensitive personal data. 

On cybersecurity, the policy mandates AES-256 encryption, multi-factor authentication, audit logs and rapid cyber-breach reporting protocols aligned with CERT-In standards. 

Government departments have also been instructed to publish non-sensitive datasets on the state open-data portal within 30 days of collection, conduct periodic re-identification risk audits and maintain historical dataset versions for audit tracking. 

The state government plans to establish a formal incident-response system for handling cyberattacks, security breaches and unauthorised access incidents. 

Read More: Maharashtra Farmers to Receive ₹164.83 Crore Compensation for Crop Losses Due to Unseasonal Rains! 

Conclusion 

With the rollout of OSDP 2026, Odisha is attempting to build one of India’s most detailed state-level data governance ecosystems by combining centralised analytics infrastructure, privacy safeguards, cybersecurity standards and institutional accountability under a single framework. 

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