Latest news with #MoSPI
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
India to launch first nationwide Household Income Survey in February 2026
India will launch its first nationwide Household Income Survey in February 2026, offering policymakers direct data on earnings from salaries, farms, businesses, investments, and informal jobs, addressing a long-standing gap in income, inequality, and taxation statistics. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), via the National Sample Survey (NSS), is driving the initiative. Past attempts in the 1950s, '60s, and 1983–84 failed due to flawed methods and underreporting. This time, an eight-member Technical Expert Group (TEG), chaired by economist Dr Surjit S. Bhalla, former IMF Executive Director and member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, is steering the process. The committee includes Aloke Kar, a former professor at ISI Kolkata; Prof. Sonalde Desai from NCAER; Prof. Praveen Jha of JNU; Prof. Srijit Mishra from the University of Hyderabad; Dr Tirthankar Patnaik, Chief Economist at NSE; Dr Rajesh Shukla, Managing Director and CEO of PRICE; and Prof. Ram Singh, Director of the Delhi School of Economics and an external member of the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee. Together, they are tasked with setting definitions, designing tools, refining sampling strategies, estimating income metrics, and incorporating best practices from countries like the US, Australia, Canada, and South Africa.
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: National Statistics Day- Understanding the legacy of the father of Indian statistics for UPSC Exam
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today on National Statistics Day and the legacy of the father of Indian statistics. National Statistics Day is celebrated every year on June 29th to commemorate the birth anniversary of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, the father of modern statistics in India. This year it will be observed under the theme '75 Years of National Sample Survey', marking the significant contribution of the National Sample Survey in providing timely and reliable statistical data that supports evidence-based decision-making and governance in India. In this context, let's understand the legacy of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. 1. In 2007, the Government of India designated June 29th as National Statistics Day to honour Mahalanobis' birth anniversary. The first National Statistics Day celebration took place in 2007 and has since become an annual event that highlights the crucial role of statistics in national development. 2. The day aims to raise public awareness, particularly among the youth, about the importance of statistics in strategic planning, economic development, and policy-making. 3. This year, on the occasion, a number of significant statistical publications will also be released, such as Nutritional Intake in India 2022-23 & 2023-24 and the Sustainable Development Goals – National Indicator Framework Progress Report 2025. 4. Additionally, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will introduce the GoIStat smartphone application, which was created to make official data easier to obtain. 5. An Indian scientist and statistician, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, has made significant contributions to the field of statistics and economic planning in India. He is renowned for the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure. 6. Mahalanobis was born on June 29, 1893, in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in British India. He received his early schooling at the Brahmo Boys School, from where he graduated in 1908. 7. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 1931 and and lay the foundations of the Indian statistical system through the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO). He made pioneering studies in anthropometry in India. 8. Mahalanobis was instrumental in designing the way we conduct surveys today. He introduced the concept of pilot surveys and advocated the importance of sampling methods. He also introduced a method for estimation of crop yields using statistical sampling. 9. During the latter part of his life, Mahalabonis was a part of the Planning Commission of India which was responsible for independent India's five-year plans, in which he emphasized on the importance of industrialization and also corrected previous census methodology errors. 10. Mahalabonis was deeply interested in cultural pursuits and was awarded one of the highest civilian awards, the Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India for his contribution to science. Mahalabonis died on June 28, 1972. 11. Mahalabonis Distance (MD) is a multi-dimensional generalisation of the idea of measuring how many standard deviations away is point P from the mean of D. Apart from MD, which measures distance relative to the centroid – a base or central point which can be thought of as an overall mean for multivariate data. 1. The National Sample Survey Organisation has been conducting large scale sample surveys in diverse fields on All India basis since 1950. These surveys are conducted in the form of rounds extending normally over a period of one year though in certain cases the survey period was six months. 2. Primarily data are collected through nation-wide household surveys on various socio-economic subjects, Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), etc. Besides these surveys, NSS collects data on rural and urban prices and plays a significant role in the improvement of crop statistics through supervision of the area enumeration and crop estimation surveys of the State agencies. It also maintains a frame of urban area units for use in sample surveys in urban areas. 1. The MoSPI came into existence as an Independent Ministry on 15.10.1999 after the merger of the Department of Statistics and the Department of Programme Implementation. 2. The Ministry has two wings, namely, Statistics and Programme Implementation. The Statistics Wing called the National Statistical Office (NSO) consists of: 📌Central Statistics Office (CSO) 📌National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) 3. The Programme Implementation (PI) Wing has three Divisions, namely, 📌Central Twenty Point Programme (TPP) 📌Infrastructure and Project Monitoring (IPM) 📌Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) 4. Besides, there is National Statistical Commission (NSC) created through a Resolution of Government of India (MOSPI) and one autonomous Institute, viz., Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) declared as an institute of national importance by an Act of Parliament. Consider the following statements with reference to the contributions of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis: 1. He introduced the concept of pilot surveys. 2. He was the first Chairperson of the Planning Commission of India. 3. He introduced a method for estimation of crop yields using statistical sampling. 4. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Indian Statistical Institute in 1931. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2, 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Sources: Who was Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis or 'PCM'?, Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Meat sector boom: Share in farm output rises 2.5 pc points to 7.5% in a decade
India's meat sector boomed in the last decade, with its share in the value of agriculture sector output increasing to 7.5 per cent in 2023-24 from 5 per cent in 2011-12 when measured in constant prices, according to data from the statistics ministry released on Friday. In current prices – or prices not adjusted for inflation – the increase in share of meat's Gross Value of Output (GVO) was similar: from 5 per cent in 2011-12 to 7.7 per cent in 2023-24. 'Livestock sector has witnessed a significant boom during the last decade,' the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) said in its 'Value of Output from Agriculture and Allied Sectors' report. The GVO of the sector rose to Rs 9.19 lakh crore in 2023-24 from Rs 4.88 lakh crore in 2011-12 in constant prices, with its share in the GVO of agriculture and allied activities rising to 31.2 per cent from 25.6 per cent over the same period. The overall GVO of agriculture and allied activities – which include crops, livestock, forestry and logging, and fishing and aquaculture – was Rs 29.49 lakh crore in 2023-24, up from Rs 19.08 lakh crore in 2011-12. According to MoSPI's national accounts data, 'agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing' accounted for 14.7 per cent of the total gross value added in the country in 2023-24. This edged down slightly to 14.4 per cent in 2024-25. Meat on the rise While milk retained its position as the top contributor to the livestock category, its share has declined over the years to 65.9 per cent from 67.2 per cent. At the same time, the share of meat has increased to 24.1 per cent from 19.7 per cent. 'In livestock, the application of biotechnology and improved breeding techniques has led to increased productivity and a higher output of milk, meat, and other animal products. Additionally, this sector has seen growing investments in infrastructure, such as cold chains and veterinary services, which have improved animal health and product quality,' the MoSPI report said. The rising share of meat in the GVO of livestock as well as agriculture and allied activities comes at a time when India's exports of meat have been rising. In 2023-24, India's meat exports amounted to $3.83 billion, up 17 per cent from the previous year. Export of buffalo meat, which accounts for 98 per cent of India's outbound meat shipments, rose by 17.1 per cent in 2023-24 to $3.74 billion, with Uttar Pradesh having a share of nearly 60 per cent. 'As per the Foreign Trade Policy, export of beef which includes meat and edible offal of cows, oxen and calves is prohibited. The department is not in receipt of any State legislation impacting meat exports,' Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had said in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha in December 2024. Declining crop share With the share of livestock and other segments rising over the years, the contribution of crops to the GVO of agriculture and allied activities has declined, although it remains 'the backbone of Indian agriculture' with its share in 2023-24 at 54.1 per cent, down from 62.4 per cent in 2011-12. 'The data highlights a gradual diversification within the agricultural economy, reflecting changing demand patterns, policy support, and technological improvements,' the statistics ministry said in its report. Cereals and fruits and vegetables made up more than half of crop GVO, with the statistics ministry noting that the share of 'spices and condiments' had increased from 3.9 per cent in 2011-12 to 5.9 per cent in 2023-24, 'suggesting rising domestic and export demand for spices, possibly aided by improved processing and branding'. Within fruits, the GVO of bananas was the largest for the second year in a row after it ended the dominance of mangoes in 2022-23. However, mangoes clawed back some ground in 2023-24, with their GVO rising 6.7 per cent to Rs 46,050 crore, while that of bananas was up a smaller 4.4 per cent at Rs 46,996 crore. Siddharth Upasani is a Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. He reports primarily on data and the economy, looking for trends and changes in the former which paint a picture of the latter. Before The Indian Express, he worked at Moneycontrol and financial newswire Informist (previously called Cogencis). Outside of work, sports, fantasy football, and graphic novels keep him busy. ... Read More
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Fiscal health rankings can act as policy nudge, encourage states to lower debt ratios: Rao Inderjit Singh
The Fiscal Health Index (FHI) initiative that ranks states by their finances can act as a 'policy nudge' and play a key role in encouraging states to lower their debt-to-Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) ratios, according to Rao Inderjit Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and Ministry of Planning. With the central government set to target a reduction in its debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio from 2026-27 onwards, Singh said 'any fiscal slippage by states can undermine India's sovereign risk profile'. In an e-mail interview with Siddharth Upasani, the Minister also discussed more frequent revisions to GDP and Consumer Price Index (CPI) data series, the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in data collection, and ramping up recruitment of statistical officers. Edited excerpts: MoSPI will release the updated series for key macroeconomic indicators such as CPI, GDP, and IIP (Index of Industrial Production) next year. Does the ministry plan to update these key data series on a more regular basis? The next base year revision exercise of GDP, IIP, and CPI is currently underway. For GDP, the new series is scheduled to be released on February 27, 2026 with 2022-23 as base year. For IIP, 2022 -23 has been tentatively identified as the revised base. IIP on revised base would be released from 2026-27. For CPI, 2024 has been identified as the revised base year and the item basket and weightage of the items would be decided based on the HCES conducted in 2023-24. The new CPI series is expected to be published from the first quarter of 2026. MoSPI is exploring the experimental compilation of a chain-based IIP to improve responsiveness to structural changes. The item basket and factory frame of the new IIP series would be selected using the latest data of Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) 2022-23. HCES serves as the foundation for updating the CPI base. The base updation of CPI relies on HCES for the item basket and their respective weights. Therefore, MoSPI is planning to conduct HCES in about every 3 years. Accordingly, base revision of CPI will be done. For the new CPI series, MoSPI is expanding its approach by exploring alternative data sources, such as online platforms for airfare, rail fare, OTT (over-the-top) platforms and administrative records for price data of petrol, diesel and LPG. Discussions are ongoing with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, the Ministry of Railways, and the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for direct transfer of data for integration in CPI. The Ministry is exploring the use of scanner data and web scraping to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and comprehensiveness of price data collection. The possibility of collecting price data from e-commerce websites is also being considered. Regarding GDP, annual data in respect of the Government expenditure and private corporate sector are available. However, for the large informal sector in India, the estimates are dependent on various survey results. Attempts are being made to reduce the periodicity of the surveys, like Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) are now available monthly, ASUSE data are being planned to be released quarterly. Pilot has been done on Annual Survey of Service Sector Enterprises (ASSSE). In addition to the use of data from Office of Controller General of Accounts, MCA-21, Reserve Bank of India, etc. as was done in the previous base revision exercise, use of Goods and Services Tax data, E-Vahan portal, UPI transaction data from National Payments Corporation of India, etc. are also being attempted. With the availability of more datasets, GDP base revision could be done more frequently in the near future. Could IIP and GDP data be revised with 2023-24 as the base year considering the results of the ASI for 2023-24 is set to be released in September 2025? The ASI data for 2023-24 is expected to be available in late 2025, which would be too late to be considered for the upcoming base year revision exercise of GDP and IIP. The first Fiscal Health Index (FHI) rankings of states were published earlier this year. With the central government moving towards targeting debt-to-GDP ratio from 2026-27, can such rankings help push the states to lower their debt ratio? Yes, the FHI rankings can play a critical role in encouraging states to lower their debt-to-GSDP ratios, especially in light of the central government's target of reducing overall government debt starting 2026–27 to a level of 50 per cent from the existing 57.1 per cent. The FHI assesses the fiscal performance of Indian states, and is aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and prudent fiscal management. It evaluates states across four core pillars: revenue mobilisation, quality of expenditure, fiscal prudence, and debt index and sustainability, along with several sub-indicators, to present a holistic picture of fiscal health. Beyond being a comparative scorecard, the FHI provides state-specific insights, identifying areas of strength and concern and offers a foundation for tailored policy recommendations. It encourages data-driven governance and decision-making, supports targeted fiscal reforms, and underscores the importance of long-term financial sustainability. Crucially, fiscal prudence at the state level contributes to the overall debt sustainability of the country. Since states form a substantial part of the overall government's fiscal position, their collective discipline plays a vital role in maintaining macroeconomic stability and managing debt risks at the central level as well. International investors and credit rating agencies view India's fiscal health holistically—they do not distinguish much between Centre and states. Therefore, any fiscal slippage by states can undermine India's sovereign risk profile. Rankings like the FHI offer a credible benchmark to show fiscal discipline at the sub-national level, which can boost confidence among investors and agencies. With India shifting to a debt-to-GDP anchor post 2025–26 and inclusion in the JPMorgan Emerging Market Debt Index drawing ~$8 billion in inflows, transparent metrics like the FHI can boost investor confidence and align with global fiscal standards. Public rankings push weaker states to improve and emulate top performers. FHI rankings act as a policy nudge, a reputational signal, and a planning tool for states. If leveraged well, they could contribute meaningfully to India's broader macroeconomic stability and fiscal consolidation goals. MoSPI has historically suffered from being understaffed. Has the lack of statistical officers been a hurdle for the ministry? Is the reliance on contract staff sustainable? MoSPI has shifted all its surveys to Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) mode integrated with a digital platform having in-built validation replacing the traditional paper-pen method. In the month of May, through the Staff Selection Commission, 700 Junior Statistical Officers got recruitment for posting in different Regional Offices of the National Statistics Office (NSO). Moreover, survey-specific engagement of contractual staff is being made with multi-level training focusing more on the quality of the data. The government has developed the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to measure poverty. But now that we have the results of 2022-23 and 2023-24 HCES, is there a plan to update the Tendulkar poverty line of 2009 and the Rangarajan Committee line of 2014? The release of the latest HCES data for 2022–23 and 2023–24 marks an important development, as it offers an updated view of consumption patterns across Indian households. Discussions on poverty measurement frameworks continue to evolve in academic and policy circles. These are technical and evolving subjects, and any future developments would be shaped by a range of considerations, including evolving national priorities. The National MPI currently serves as a robust tool for monitoring the multiple dimensions of deprivation, offering granular insights across 36 States/Union Territories and over 700 districts. MoSPI, in the last couple of years, has been extremely active in conducting surveys and publishing reports in a time-bound manner. What led to this urgency and how has it managed to increase its capacity to do so many surveys at the same time? As Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has said, 'We must become tech-savvy, so that every policy and scheme can be made more efficient and accessible through technology. We must become experts in data-driven decision-making, so that policy design and implementation become more accurate'. MoSPI is adapting technology including AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning) in its generation of statistical products and taking a lead role to provide the required data to the policymakers in time so that accurate policies could improve the quality of life of Indians. MoSPI has shifted from pen-paper-mode data collection to tablets through CAPI in the National Sample Surveys (NSS). The CAPI has provision for in-built data validation and other features of survey administration that enables faster processing and finalisation of the survey data. Data collection can be done both online and offline. In-house software is also developed for data validation, multiplier calculation, table generation and RSE (Relative Standard Error) calculation etc. for the NSS. Some features of AI/ML enabled chatbot have been included in some of the surveys like ASUSE (Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises) and CAPEX survey, etc. With the use of CAPI, the time period for dissemination of the results and the data of the surveys post the conduct of the survey could be reduced to a great extent. For example, the Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom was conducted from January to March 2025 and the results of the same have been released in May 2025, within two months' time frame. MoSPI has started disseminating the advance Annual Release Calendar for all its statistical products since 2024-25 on its website. Data users are able to see the release of the data following the calendar. MoSPI is looking at ways to use alternative data in official statistics. What is being done to make the private sector, which generates a lot of these data sets, a willing partner in the creation of indicators based on these new data? MoSPI has recently organised a workshop on using alternate data sources and frontier technologies for policymaking. A number of private sector partners along with stakeholder Ministries and reputed research institutions participated in the workshop. The Ministry is taking feedback from stakeholders in this regard. Further, the Ministry has set up a Data Innovation Lab to promote innovation and adoption of Information Technology in the field of official statistics. A number of private sector experts and reputed academic institutions are taking part in the Data Innovation Lab. AI is being employed more and more to compile data and information. While MoSPI is using AI chatbots in tablets used for CAPI to help provide prompts, what is the future of Artificial Intelligence when it comes to MoSPI's work? The Ministry has already started working in this area. Some features of AI/ML enabled chatbot have been included in some of its surveys like ASUSE and CAPEX survey, etc. To facilitate self-compilation by enterprises in the web-portal based CAPEX survey, an AI-powered chatbot has been integrated into the portal. This chatbot assists respondents by providing guidance on the concepts used across various sections of the CAPEX survey questionnaire. The chatbot, developed using Natural Language Processing techniques, is designed to offer seamless assistance throughout the survey process. This feature has also been incorporated into the ASUSE, launched in January. While the traditional mode of data collection like survey, use of administrative data etc. would continue, the use of AI is expected to strengthen the statistical system. The ministry is working to integrate AI into the official statistical system in collaboration with startups and educational institutions in the form of pilot projects to develop an AI-based tool for rejuvenating legacy data, chatbot, classification etc. under Data Innovation Lab. India is targeting becoming a developed country by 2047. The use of statistics will be crucial in this process as government policies are guided by data. What conversations have you had with the Prime Minister's Office and other key ministries regarding the role MoSPI will play in the coming 20 years? The Government under the leadership of the Prime Minister is emphasising on data-driven policy decisions to improve the quality of lives of the citizens of the country. As per the allocation of business rule of the Ministry, it acts as the nodal agency for planning integrated development of the statistical system in the country. In this process, the Ministry regularly interacts with the stakeholder Ministries/Departments. With adaptation of modern technologies and timely release of statistical products including the survey results on required aspects, the Ministry is playing a key role in data-driven decision making by the government in the journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047 as envisaged by the Hon'ble Prime Minister. Siddharth Upasani is a Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. He reports primarily on data and the economy, looking for trends and changes in the former which paint a picture of the latter. Before The Indian Express, he worked at Moneycontrol and financial newswire Informist (previously called Cogencis). Outside of work, sports, fantasy football, and graphic novels keep him busy. ... Read More
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
MoSPI gets real with artificial intelligence: Surveys to use chatbots
The Statistics Ministry is adding Artificial Intelligence to its work. AI chatbots will be used in important surveys. This will give policymakers correct and current data. The Capex survey now has an AI chatbot. New surveys are coming, and old ones are being updated. A household income survey will start in February 2026. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The statistics ministry is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations, with AI-enabled chatbots becoming part of key surveys, to provide accurate and up-to-date data to policymakers to help them make evidence-based policy decisions, the minister said."To facilitate self-compilation by enterprises in the web-portal based Capex survey, an AI-powered chatbot has been integrated into the portal," Rao Inderjit Singh, minister of state (independent charge) for statistics and programme implementation, told ET. "This chatbot assists respondents by providing guidance on the concepts used across various sections of the survey questionnaire," he explained. The Capex survey tracks capital expenditure trends of private ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) uses AI and machine learning-enabled chatbots for the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) as well. It is also introducing new surveys and updating existing ones to better reflect present-day economic and social realities, Singh said. The idea is to leverage technology to provide timely data to help the government bring in policies to improve quality of life of Indians and realise Viksit Bharat 2047.A pilot study on the unincorporated construction sector is scheduled for July- December, while a Household Income Survey will be launched from February 2026 to estimate the average income of rural and urban households, the minister Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) methodology was revamped in January. Under the new framework, reports are released monthly, with rural data included in quarterly releases. Annual reports will follow the calendar year rather than the earlier July-June cycle."The updated PLFS design will allow (with state participation) generation of annual district level estimates for most districts across India. It is also planned to release ASUSE results quarterly instead of annually," Singh MoSPI is set to launch two new surveys from July - National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) and Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey (DTES).NHTS aims to assess the spatial origin destination matrix for different transportation modes and influencing factors affecting the mode, destination choice, the price elasticity of travel demand by mode. The railway ministry and the government will use this data for transport planning, Singh said. DTES will gather information on trip purpose, mode of transport, accommodation, final destination within the country, and tourism-related expenditure.
