Lok Sabha Question No. 3726 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Delays in Publication of Consumer Expenditure Survey and Economic Census
Ministry: STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
Asked by: Shri K C Venugopal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3726 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2024

## DELAYS IN PUBLICATION OF CONSUMER EXPENDITURE SURVEY AND ECONOMIC CENSUS

3726. SHRI K C VENUGOPAL:

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

- (a) whether  the  timetable  to  generate  primary  data  are  not  being rigorously adhered to, leading to delays in publication of consumer expenditure survey and economic census, and affecting the monthly inflation readings and GDP data, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether complaints have been received from the users about the quality of data; and
- (c) if so, the details of steps taken by the Government to ensure that timeline for generating primary data is strictly followed and the data quality becomes authentic and beyond doubt?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): The latest survey on Household Consumption Expenditure (HCES:  2022-23)  was  conducted  by  the  Ministry  of  Statistics  and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) during August, 2022 - July, 2023. The findings of this survey were published in the month of February, 2024 in the form of factsheet. The report of HCES 2022-23 has been released in June 2024.

MoSPI also undertakes Economic Censuses on a regular periodicity. Field work of last i.e. Seventh Economic Census was conducted during

2019-21. Since this period was hit by Covid-19 pandemic and most of the business establishments were closed, the data of 7 th  EC could not be finalized.

(b) and (c): No  such  complaints  have  been  received  from  the users  about  the  quality  of  data.  Moreover,  the  data  provided  by surveys of  MoSPI  is  used  by  various  Central  Ministries/Departments, international agencies, etc as the official data source of various key indicators in India. However, MoSPI, being nodal agency for planned development of the statistical system in the country, is also responsible for maintaining the highest standards of data quality. To achieve  this,  robust  and  well-defined  mechanisms  are  employed  in different  statistical  products  which  undergo  periodic  improvements based on evolving needs, feedback, and advancements in methodologies  to  enhance  their  effectiveness.   The  primary  data collection  is  being  done  in  digital  platform  using  Computer  Assisted Personal  Interview  (CAPI)  or  web-based  application  with  in-built validation  mechanism  to  ensure  consistency  at  the  stage  of  data collection.  The  accuracy  of  the  data  is  ensured  by  multi-level  data scrutiny  and  validation  checks.  A  robust  training  mechanism  is followed to  address the conceptual queries and monitoring the data quality.  Regular  dialogues  with  data  users/stakeholders  are  also conducted in order  to  incorporate  their  feedback  and  enhance  their understanding about the data being published by MoSPI. In addition to this,  the  reports  of  surveys  of  MoSPI  are  being  published  as  per  the timetable prescribed in the Advance  Release Calendar 2024-25 available on website of MoSPI.

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