Data is information, will dictate history in the future, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said data is information and it will dictate history in the future as he exhorted for strong and scientific audits to make systems strong and transparent.

Speaking at the Audit Diwas event of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), he said in the past information was transmitted in form of stories.

"History was written through stories. But in the 21st century, data is information and in coming times our history will be looked through and understood using data. In the future, data will be dictating the history," he said.

He went on to list reforms such as contactless customs, automatic renewals, faceless assessments and online applications for service delivery, that have ended unnecessary government interventions.

"When transparency is brought in the system, results are visible," he said adding India is the world's third-largest ecosystem for startups and already has 50 unicorns.

He said documents, data and files sought by the national auditor, CAG should be provided by government departments.

Strong, scientific audits will make the system strong and transparent, he said adding his government has taken CAG's concerns on fiscal deficit and state expenditure in the right spirit.

Appreciating CAG's new practice of sharing preliminary findings with government departments before the beginning field audits, he said the combination of the two will give better results.