Features of Water Data Portal

Water Data Portal is the official open data platform of Ministry of Jal Shakti, designed to provide access to collection of government water datasets. It offers a range of datasets from various data producers across State and Central Government agencies in a machine-readable format, making them accessible to the other government bodies, research, academia, public and developers. The portal aims to promote transparency, encourage innovation and facilitate research and development in various sectors. Users can explore and download publicly available datasets to support data-driven decision-making and analysis. Here are the key features of the portal:


1. Open access to Datasets

  • Open Data: The portal provides free access to open datasets on water and allied resources, covering diverse topics such as Climate, Ecosystem and Wildlife, Energy, Infrastructure, Natural Hazard, Water Planning, Water Quality, Water Quantity and Water Use.

  • Multiple Formats: Datasets are available in various formats, including JSON, CSV, TSV, XML and APIs, ensuring ease of use and accessibility.

  • Standardized & Structured Data: Water data standardization is essential for ensuring the quality, consistency, and reliability of water-related data. The portal provides data and metadata in the standardized formats to facilitate data sharing and exchange.

  • Data from Various Ministries: The platform hosts data from a wide array of central and state ministries, departments and other water data producers.

  • APIs for Developers: Water Data Portal provides APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for programmatic access to the water and allied resources data, allowing developers to build applications or systems for data analysis and reporting.
2. Data Catalog and Metadata Management

  • Data Catalog: Centralized water data catalog is maintained to help users explore the datasets available on the platform. It provides a structured list of datasets highlighting the description, mode of acquisition, data frequency, data available since and the last updated date.

  • Metadata Information: Each dataset on the portal includes detailed metadata (descriptive information), which provides important information about the dataset including data source, publication date, dataset description, data format, data distribution methods, keywords and other associated information.

  • Data Categorization in Groups: Datasets are categorized into nine groups: Climate, Ecosystem and Wildlife, Energy, Infrastructure, Natural Hazard, Water Planning, Water Quality, Water Quantity and Water Use, making it easier to find relevant datasets.

3. Search and Filter

  • Search: This feature provides a search experience which allows quick keyword search by tags and browsing between related datasets. Users can quickly see what datasets are available, in which formats and with which licence, straight from the search results.

  • Filters: The platform provides filtering options based on data producers and data groups, making it easier to find relevant datasets.

4. Data Download and Integration

  • Download: Users can download datasets for offline use and integrate them into their own data analysis tools or systems. Datasets can be downloaded in multiple formats, making it easy for researchers, data analysts and developers to work with the data offline.

  • Data Integration: The data can be integrated into enterprise systems, dashboards and other business intelligence platforms.

5. Mobile Accessibility

  • Mobile-Friendly: The platform is accessible via mobile devices, ensuring users can access data on the go.

6. Public Engagement

  • Promoting Transparency: By making water and allied resources data freely available, Water Data Portal promotes transparency, accountability and good governance.

  • Citizen Engagement: Water Data Portal encourages citizens to use the available datasets for insights into water resource management, climate impact, pollution levels, conservation efforts, infrastructure planning, disaster preparedness, agricultural water use, policy-making, and sustainable development initiatives. Citizens can directly access and download datasets related to water quality, water quantity, climate and other key parameters.

7. Collaboration with Academia and Research

  • Research Support: Academics, researchers and data scientists can use the platform to access water and allied resources data for studies, analysis and reporting.

  • Encouraging Innovation: Water Data Portal encourages innovation by providing open access to water and allied resources data, which can be used to create solutions in areas such as public policy, education, health, agriculture, disaster management, urban planning, water conservation, environmental sustainability and ecosystem protection. There are opportunities for individuals or companies to build applications using open government data, which could serve various sectors like water, disaster management and agriculture.