Lok Sabha Question No. 2901 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: Modernise Data Collection System
Ministry: STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
Asked by: Shri  Chhotelal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2901

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025

## MODERNISE DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM

2901.

Shri Chhotelal:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  challenges  related  to  the accuracy and consistency of statistical data on employment, unemployment, poverty and income inequality which are essential for evidence-based policy-making and targeted welfare programmes; and
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  initiatives  and  policy  measures  proposed  by the Government to strengthen and modernise data collection systems, improve survey methodologies, ensure regular and transparent publication of reports, enhance coordination with State agencies and adopt technology-based solutions for more reliable and real-time data on employment and poverty and if not, the reasons therefor?

## 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) and (b):  The  Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation (MoSPI) being nodal agency for planned development of statistical system in the country, is also responsible for maintaining the highest standards of data  quality.  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.

The  National  Statistics  Office  (NSO)  under  MoSPI  has  been  conducting Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey  (PLFS)  since  2017  to  estimate  various indicators related to employment and unemployment in the country. The sampling design of PLFS has been revamped from January 2025 to address the requirement of high frequency labour market indicators with enhanced coverage from PLFS.

The  data  related  to  income  inequality  is  not  compiled  by  the  Central

Government. Furthermore, NITI Aayog has been entrusted with the task of formulating an indigenized index for measuring multi-dimensional poverty estimates.

NSO, MoSPI is committed to ensuring accurate, reliable and  high-quality data in the large-scale surveys conducted across the country. 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. Upgradation and synergizing of existing IT based data collection techniques is a continuous process in MoSPI. The primary data collection in all surveys 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.  This  facilitates  real-time  submission  and  validation  of  survey data and has resulted into a drastic reduction in the time lag in releasing of  survey  reports.  Further,  whenever  a  new  survey  is  taken  up,  possible methods and new technologies are explored for their appropriate adoption.  For  instance,  some  features  of  AI/ML  have  been  introduced  in enterprise  surveys  like  CAPEX  and  Annual  Survey  of  Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE), CAPI has been made agile in ongoing surveys such as ASUSE, PLFS, etc.

MoSPI assists in development of statistics in the States/UTs by providing technical  guidance,  sampling  design,  survey  instruments,  and  capacitybuilding support, including training and digital infrastructure like tablets, CAPI  and  cloud  servers.  States  are  also  encouraged  to  form  technical committees with local experts to examine data quality and outputs.

In  order  to  enhance the transparency and timeliness of survey data, the reports  of  the  survey  results  are  released  on  the  website  of  MoSPI alongwith  the  unit  level  data  as  per  the  timelines  prescribed  in  the Advance Release Calendar of MoSPI. The revamped Micro-data portal, the GoIStats mobile app and e-Sankhyiki portal have been launched by MoSPI which facilitate easy dissemination of official statistics across the country with an aim to provide timely and valuable data inputs.

For  the  purpose  of  reviewing  the  framework  and  to  address  the  issues raised from time to time on the subject, results, methodology, questionnaire, etc of the surveys of MoSPI, the Committee/Working Groups are in place which consist of expert members from various spheres such as Central Ministries/Departments, States/UTs, academia, research, economics, finance, etc.

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