The Railways has floated a young to rent a marketing consultant to monetise its passenger and freight buyer information with the goal to generate income as much as Rs 1,000 crore, however sources mentioned it might be withdrawn amid considerations over privateness points.
While many on social media, together with advocacy teams have raised considerations over violation of information privateness points, authorities sources have clarified that the marketing consultant would advise the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on steps to enhance its current enterprise and plan methods to monetise future alternatives.
While the Railways has not formally commented on the tender, extremely positioned sources mentioned it will likely be withdrawn “considering the fact that the Data Protection Bill has not been finalised”.
According to the tender doc, the information to be studied will embody info captured by the transporter’s numerous public going through purposes corresponding to “name, age, mobile number, gender, address, e-mail ID, class of journey, payment mode, login or password” and different particulars.
The IRCTC has greater than 10 crore customers, of which 7.5 crore are energetic customers.
The doc additionally said that the marketing consultant, as soon as finalised, might be supplied the main points of purposes and the information collected thereon for conducting the examine for ‘Monetization of Digital Data of Indian Railways’.
The marketing consultant shall examine the information of passenger, freight and parcel companies of the Indian Railways corresponding to PRS, NGeT, NTES, UTS, Rail Madad, FOIS, TMS, e-CRM, and PMS, in addition to vendor-related information from purposes like IREPS, VMS and IPAS.
The doc titled ‘The Scope of Work for Project A: For study of Monetization of Digital Data of Indian Railways(IR)’ mentioned the marketing consultant would even be supplied entry to the digital information techniques which generate behavioural information corresponding to move of passengers, class of journey, frequency of journey, journey time, reserving time, age group and gender, fee mode, variety of locations and reserving modes.
The goal of the train, it mentioned, is for the IRCTC to leverage its information belongings and market place to drive robust development in revenues. This will be achieved by bettering buyer expertise, increasing the portfolio of merchandise being provided to the shoppers and/or growing new enterprise traces and partnerships, the doc said.
“IRCTC envisages a revenue generation potential of Rs 1,000 Cr through Monetization of its Digital Assets. IRCTC wishes to engage a consulting firm to help in identification, design, and development and roll-out of data monetization opportunities,” it mentioned.
While the Railways is but to formally reply, sources near the event mentioned the IRCTC doesn’t “sell its data and neither has any intention to do so”. They mentioned the marketing consultant is being employed to advise the IRCTC on steps to enhance its current enterprise and plan out methods to monetise future companies. It will even deal with how the IRCTC might undertake new enterprise alternatives.
“IRCTC will also develop new businesses on its own platform and will need assistance from market leaders. IRCTC does not store any financial data of its customers at its end, as at the time of online payment for its various services, control is passed on to the respective payment gateway or bank for the payment,” the sources mentioned.
The doc additionally mentioned that the marketing consultant will examine numerous Acts or legal guidelines, together with the IT Act, 2000 and its amendments, consumer information privateness legal guidelines, together with the General Data Protection Regulation and the present ‘Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018’, and accordingly, suggest the enterprise fashions for monetisation of digital belongings.
The marketing consultant would additionally put together a roadmap for information monetisation of the digital information collected at numerous customer-facing and vendor-related purposes which embody zonal railways, divisions, and different items like CRIS, and PSUs like IRCTC, Railtel, and so forth.
Tasks listed for the appointed marketing consultant embody segregation of monetisable information units, identification of market potential internationally, and preparation of a roadmap for information monetisation of the digital information.
Internet Freedom Foundation, a Delhi-based non-governmental organisation advocating digital rights and liberties, has raised considerations over the tender and outlined its pitfalls in a sequence of tweets.
“Hey train travellers, your data will soon be monetised by the govt. & that too, in the absence of a data protection legislation! …A profit maximisation goal will result in greater incentives for data collection, violating principles of data minimisation & purpose limitation. Past experiences from the misuse of Vahan database amplify fears of mass surveillance & security risks,” it mentioned.
“IRCTC, a government-controlled monopoly, must not prioritise perverse commercial interests over the rights and interests of citizens. And given the recent withdrawal of the Data Protection Bill, 2021, such monetisation becomes even more concerning,” the NGO added.
