Dr Shefali Dash
Former Director General, National Informatics Centre
Dr. (Mrs.) Shefali S. Dash is a Ph.D in Physics & Former Deputy Director General, National Informatics Centre, New Delhi. Her Areas of Specialization are Planning and implementation of Management Information Systems (MIS) and Decision Support Systems (DSS), development and implementation of e-Governance programmes, Informatics Development Services and Setting up of Computer Centres, Local Area Networks and computer communication infrastructure in rural areas. She has Implemented a number of large scale projects like the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission computerization Project, Community Information Centre Project, GRAMSAT Project, Warana Wired Village Project, Project Arrow of Department of Post, Setting up of Wide Area Network for connecting all the post offices in the country, Setting up of National Consumer Call Preference Registry for TRAI, Project Nikshaya for Ministry of Health etc. She has been instrumental in preparing e-Governance Plans for various State Governments in India as well as for the Government of Lao PDR.
Dr Shefali Dash at the Harmonising ESG, CSR, CDR and SDGs, an India 2047 - Centre of Excellence Workshop
Dr Shefali Dash
Former Director General, National Informatics Centre
Key Points
- The guidelines should be categorised to facilitate easier compliance and understanding.
- This should cover human rights violations, gaming, lending and addiction.
- Allocating funds for research on reducing carbon footprint and sustainable development is critical. Merely spending money on these initiatives is not enough.
- Energy-efficient practices need promotion in the context of reducing the environmental footprint of digital operations.
Recommendations
Categorisation of Guidelines
- Develop a framework for categorising guidelines into three impact levels: high, medium and low. This framework should be applicable across various sectors, such as human rights, gaming, lending and addiction.
- Each category should be clearly defined based on the potential impact of compliance or non-compliance.
- Provide specific criteria for determining the impact level of each guideline, considering factors such as social, environmental and economic consequences.
- Create user-friendly resources, such as manuals or online platforms, where stakeholders can easily access and understand the categorised guidelines.
Allocation of Research Funds
- Establish a dedicated research fund to study methods to reduce carbon footprint and promote sustainable development.
- Encourage public-private partnerships to contribute to the research fund, fostering collaboration between academia, industry and government agencies.
- Prioritise research projects that focus on innovative solutions for reducing carbon emissions, enhancing energy efficiency and promoting sustainable practices.
- Ensure transparency and accountability in allocating and utilising research funds through regular reporting and evaluation mechanisms.
Need for Consolidated Guidelines
- Facilitate the development of consolidated guidelines for energy-efficient practices, particularly in digital operations and other relevant sectors.
- Convene a multi-stakeholder task force comprising experts from various fields to draft consolidated guidelines that address the specific needs and challenges of reducing environmental footprint.
- Incorporate input from industry stakeholders, environmental organisations and government agencies to ensure the guidelines' comprehensive coverage and practical applicability.
- To promote widespread adoption and compliance, the consolidated guidelines should be published in accessible formats, such as online portals or industry-specific handbooks.
International Collaboration
- Foster collaboration with international partners to share best practices and strategies for regulating digital platforms and combating online harms.
- Participate in forums and initiatives to address global challenges related to misinformation, online betting and digital regulation.
- Work towards creating a safer and more regulated digital environment that protects citizens from online harms while promoting freedom of expression and innovation.
