New Delhi, Dec 11 (ANI): Communications and Information Technology Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, on Thursday, advocated the need for open data terming it as the most crucial tool to realise the power of information. Prasad was speaking at the National Conference on Open Data and Open API (Application Programming Interfaces) in New Delhi. Open data is the idea that advocates free availability of certain kinds of data which can be easily accessed by all irrespective of any copyright or patent restrictions. Prasad also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of digital India will also empower the rural India. Prasad further said that if Census data could also be made public, it could unleash better business prospects for the manufacturers.