Calls to introduce data protection bill in Budget 2022

By Arun Balasubramanian, MD- India & SAARC, ServiceNow

To keep up with the rapid adoption of digital technologies, organisations must make significant investments in skilling, reskilling, and upskilling programs to bridge workforce and industry gaps. While India is renowned for its pool of talent, employers lament the fact that many graduates lack necessary skills of the changing workplace. The Ministries of Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship should collaborate on the 2022 budget to advance the Skill India initiative by modernising skill development programs to meet industry demand.

The pandemic exposed the gaps in the country's existing IT infrastructure, and we anticipate targeted initiatives to address them, not only technologically, but also legally, in terms of data, data privacy, and artificial intelligence. The data protection bill in India could be introduced during the parliament's budget session. The bill aims to address a wide range of issues so that citisens, businesses, and the government can reap the full benefits of a safe, secure, trustworthy, and resilient cyberspace and its passage is critical.