MeitY sets 75% completion target for Data Protection Board, funding for 25 deeptech startups in Outcome Budget

Currently, the government is undertaking consultations on the draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules

The Indian government is fast-tracking the implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, with the establishment of the Data Protection Board (DPB) slated as a key priority for fiscal year 2025-26, according to the Outcome Budget.

The Outcome Budget outlines a 75 percent completion target for setting up the DPB’s digital office, including recruitment and platform development, alongside the notification of 25 rules under the Act.

In the DPDP Act, the DPB will be an independent regulatory body established to enforce the provisions of the DPDP Act. It will investigate complaints, addresses data breaches, and imposes penalties on entities that violate data privacy regulations.

Simultaneously, the government has set lofty targets for the Rs 10,783 crore IndiaAI Mission.

The Outcome Budget was released on February 15, weeks after the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the Union Budget.

Since 2017-18, the Budget document has included not just financial allocations for government schemes but also their expected results. These details are presented in a separate Outcome Budget, which outlines the planned spending, expected outputs, and measurable outcomes.

The Outcome Budget said that the government aims to establish 20 AI Curation Units, to be established across Central ministries; 80 IndiaAI labs across the country.

Apart from that, under the mission, the government also aims to fund 25 deep tech startups, and fund 3-industry led projects.

The startup financial vertical of the IndiaAI mission envisages funding support for deep-tech AI startups. This follows an announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the same line, as part of the Interim Budget 2024.

In this year's budget, Sitharaman announced that the government of India is exploring setting up a dedicated Fund of Funds (FoF) for DeepTech startups and companies to support the next generation of companies.

Meanwhile, the outcome budget also said that the government through the IndiaAI Mission, also aims to integrate AI into governance and public services, with a focus on developing at least five applied AI projects to address national challenges.