Lok Sabha Question No. 452 (STARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Difficulties in Data Collection in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 452

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.04.2025

## DIFFICULTIES IN DATA COLLECTION IN TAMIL NADU

## *452. DR. D RAVI KUMAR:

Will the Minister of STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is facing difficulties in collecting data from higher-income groups particularly in gated communities in urban areas of Tamil Nadu to assess ground realities and if so, the details of specific challenges being faced;
- (b) the details of the data collection exercises or surveys in Tamil Nadu  that  have  been  impacted  due  to  difficulties  in  gathering information from higher-income households;
- (c) the manner in which these challenges affect or have affected the accuracy and representativeness of national and State-level data sets particularly in Tamil Nadu; and
- (d) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure comprehensive data collection across all socio-economic groups in Tamil Nadu including higher-income sections?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS  AND  PROGRAMME  IMPLEMENTATION,  MINISTER  OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE [RAO INDERJIT SINGH]

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (A)  TO  (D)  OF  LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  452  FOR  REPLY  ON  02.04.2025 REGARDING  DIFFICULTIES  IN  DATA  COLLECTION  IN  TAMIL  NADU ASKED BY DR. D RAVI KUMAR

(a) to (d): Sample surveys being conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme  Implementation (MoSPI) are vital for collecting data that informs public policy across various sectors like health,  education,  and  economic  planning,  etc.  These  surveys  cover the  entire  country  including  Tamil  Nadu  except  some  villages  in Andaman & Nicobar Islands which remain inaccessible. These sample surveys  follow  scientific  sampling  designs  for  selection  of  sample households  in  order  to  ensure  representativeness  of  sample  using area  frame  consisting  of  villages  and  blocks  available  respectively from the Population Census for rural areas and Urban Frame Survey for urban areas.

The large-scale sample surveys often face practical challenges, with non-response being  a  significant  issue  particularly  from  high-income groups,  gated  communities,  and  high-rise  housing  societies.  This occurs when selected samples fail to provide requested information or submit  unusable  data,  contributing to  non-sampling  errors.  Nonresponse  among  high-income  groups  and  gated  societies  presents particular challenges, as these respondents have unique motivations and barriers to participation.

MoSPI  aims  to  enhance  collaboration,  build  trust  and  improve  data accuracy and comprehensiveness since addressing the non-response is  crucial  for  obtaining  representative  data  that  accurately  reflects societal trends and needs.

In case of non-cooperation from any of the selected households, the field  officials  engaged  in primary data collection make viable efforts to address the issue and to encourage participation of the households such  as  persuading  the  informant  with  necessary  information  and documents, liasioning with local police station/public representatives/RWA  of  the  area  at  the  Regional  level  to  gather support and cooperation for conducting the survey smoothly, undertaking  various  awareness  activities  at  local  level  to  describe about the survey objective and usefulness of survey, assurance about confidentiality of data, etc. However, if the selected household could not  be  surveyed  due  to  some  reason  or  the  other,  the  selected household  is  substituted  with  another  household  within  the  same sample.

Recently, with an objective to promote the awareness of data privacy practices  and  importance  of  survey  participation  for  evidence-based policymaking, MoSPI organized a brainstorming session in September 2024 to address the issue of non-response in Sample Surveys which brought  together  key  stakeholders,  including  policymakers,  urban economists, survey agencies, Regulatory bodies and service agencies of  the  real  estate  sector,  representatives  from  Residents  Welfare Associations (RWAs) and gated Societies, representatives from housing societies from different parts of the country, representatives from multilateral organizations like the World Bank and ILO, as well as officials  from  State  statistical  agencies.  The  brainstorming  session featured presentations on recent trends in non-response, their effects on data quality, and discussions on leveraging technology and customized  strategies  to  enhance  survey  participation  among  highincome groups.  Discussions  were  held  on  various  facets  of  issue  of non-response in high income groups to develop strategies to contribute  valuable  data  and  build  trust  among  the  non-responding target  population  by  educating  them  on  the  importance  of  data  and privacy policies.

- *****