Q. What are the formats in which datasets should be published? A. NDSAP recommends that datasets has to be published in an open format. It should be machine readable. Considering the current analysis of data formats prevalent in Government, it is proposed that data should be published in any of the following formats:
- CSV (Comma separated values)
- }XLS (Spread sheet - Excel) ODS (Open Document Formats for Spreadsheets) XML (Extensive Markup Language)
- RDF (Resources Description Framework)
- KML (Keyhole Markup Language used for Maps)
- }GML (Geography Markup Language)
- RSS/ATOM (Fast changing data e.g. hourly/daily)
Q. What are the classifications of data?
A. Different types of datasets generated both in geospatial and non-spatial form by Ministries/ Departments shall be classified as shareable data and non-shareable data.
The derived statistics like national accounts statistics, indicators like price index, databases from census and surveys are the types of data produced by a statistical mechanism e.g. Transactional and MIS Systems Data, which can be used in a row-column format. However, the geospatial data consists primarily of satellite data, maps, etc. In such a mechanism, it becomes important to maintain standards in respect of metadata, data layout and data access policy.
Q. What are the budget provisions in this Policy? A. The implementation of National Data Sharing and Access Policy is expected to entail expenditures for both data owners and data managers for analog to digital conversion, data refinement, data storage, quality up-gradation etc. Budgetary provisions and appropriate support for data management for each department/organization by Government of India would be met from their internal budget for the formation of NDSAP cell.
Q. What activities are to be undertaken up by the Ministries/Departments to implement NDSAP? A. In order to implement NDSAP, the Ministries/Departments of Government of India have to undertake the following activities:
- Nominate Data Controller, at the level of Joint Secretary or above
- Data Controller to nominate Data Contributors for coordinating from respective
Divisions/Units/Projects/Schemes, etc.
- Create Data Contributor‘s login id. using Data Controller‘s login account
- Setup NDSAP Cell
