Latest news with #MinistryofStatisticsandProgrammeImplementation
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Inputs to Index of Industrial Production now being shared with ministries
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation ( MoSPI ) has established a mechanism to share inputs on industrial activity in India with relevant ministries and departments to closely monitor and respond to sector-specific growth . The information is shared monthly through this exercise after the official Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data is released. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Others Operations Management Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity MBA Public Policy Project Management others Data Science MCA Technology Leadership PGDM Finance Data Science Digital Marketing Healthcare Degree Data Analytics healthcare Design Thinking Management Product Management CXO Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 months IIM Lucknow SEPO - IIML CHRO India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 28 Weeks MICA CERT-MICA SBMPR Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT-ISB Transforming HR with Analytics & AI India Starts on undefined Get Details "We identify sectors where production is lagging-for instance, manufacturing or electricity-and write to the ministry concerned about the year-on-year growth trends," said a government official, who did not wish to be identified. ET Bureau Through this process, the departments concerned are made aware of sectoral developments, helping them identify and address issues. "This is a good monitoring and tracking exercise, which enhances the ability to analyse data more effectively and align that with appropriate policy responses," said Sakshi Gupta, principal economist at HDFC Bank . "It better enables ministries to take timely action and adapt strategies based on developing trends in particular sectors." Live Events The mechanism was introduced by the MoSPI earlier this year, the official said, adding, "Inputs have been sent to the Ministry of Power and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade." India's industrial production fell to a nine-month low of 1.2% in May, owing to a contraction in mining and electricity sectors, even as manufacturing sector growth remained modest, according to official data released last month. Experts attributed the slowdown to factors such as the early arrival of the monsoon and weak urban demand. Among the three major sectors, only manufacturing grew in May, expanding 2.6%. Mining and electricity output contracted 0.1% and 5.8%, respectively. Official IIP figures for June will be released later this month. In addition to tracking industrial trends, the MoSPI has instituted a separate mechanism to share data on inflation-driving factors with central ministries and state governments every month, ET reported earlier. The inputs on inflation have been sent to ministries and departments such as consumer affairs, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, food processing and agricultural research.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Govt needs more data access: NSC chairman Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar
A senior Indian statistician is urging greater data-sharing with the federal government, including access to mobile payments and official records, to improve the accuracy and reliability of key economic indicators. Many institutions — including banks, payments companies, transport providers, and even government departments such as tax and railways — are reluctant to share data with the federal government due to privacy and legal concerns, said Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, chairman of the National Statistical Commission, the top advisory body to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in an interview Wednesday. 'But high level policy decisions need to be taken as to what can be shared,' he added. Talks are underway to share masked or aggregated data by area codes, which could significantly improve accuracy, though the discussions are still at an early stage, Karandikar said. With India's economy expanding rapidly and global investor interest growing, official figures are facing more scrutiny. Calls are mounting for more accurate economic data that captures the real picture on the ground, helping policymakers tailor policies for the nation's growing needs. Yet, data sharing between key government departments remains a challenge due to gaps in governance, infrastructure, and concerns over data protection, making it tough to find the right balance between information and privacy. In recent months, the government has taken several steps to address those concerns, including announcing plans to conduct a population census, regularly releasing surveys to improve economic datasets like inflation and gross domestic product and publishing monthly labor data. Karandikar said various developed countries have already figured out how to share relevant data internally. 'India has not done that fast enough. We need to move in that direction,' he added. The commission has also recommended that the government reduce delays in data releases. Broader adoption of digital tools and better access to existing data would help shorten timelines, Karandikar said. 'Unless we change and bring in this information technology infrastructure, we will become obsolete,' he said. Karandikar also emphasized the need for more short-term surveys instead of year-long exercises that take too long to process. 'The old methodology of data collection, transmitting, compiling and processing has to change,' he said, adding that the government has already begun implementing some of these changes.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Top statistician urges India to boost data access for accurate metrics
A senior Indian statistician is urging greater data-sharing with the federal government, including access to mobile payments and official records, to improve the accuracy and reliability of key economic indicators. Many institutions — including banks, payments companies, transport providers, and even government departments such as tax and railways — are reluctant to share data with the federal government due to privacy and legal concerns, said Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, chairman of the National Statistical Commission, the top advisory body to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in an interview Wednesday. 'But high level policy decisions need to be taken as to what can be shared,' he added. Talks are underway to share masked or aggregated data by area codes, which could significantly improve accuracy, though the discussions are still at an early stage, Karandikar said. With India's economy expanding rapidly and global investor interest growing, official figures are facing more scrutiny. Calls are mounting for more accurate economic data that captures the real picture on the ground, helping policymakers tailor policies for the nation's growing needs. Yet, data sharing between key government departments remains a challenge due to gaps in governance, infrastructure, and concerns over data protection, making it tough to find the right balance between information and privacy. In recent months, the government has taken several steps to address those concerns, including announcing plans to conduct a population census, regularly releasing surveys to improve economic datasets like inflation and gross domestic product and publishing monthly labor data. Karandikar said various developed countries have already figured out how to share relevant data internally. 'India has not done that fast enough. We need to move in that direction,' he added. The commission has also recommended that the government reduce delays in data releases. Broader adoption of digital tools and better access to existing data would help shorten timelines, Karandikar said. 'Unless we change and bring in this information technology infrastructure, we will become obsolete,' he said. Karandikar also emphasized the need for more short-term surveys instead of year-long exercises that take too long to process. 'The old methodology of data collection, transmitting, compiling and processing has to change,' he said, adding that the government has already begun implementing some of these changes.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
World Bank claims a drastic reduction in inequality in India. There is more to the story
Written by Deepanshu Mohan A recent World Bank report has claimed a drastic reduction in inequality in India between 2011 and 2022. However, it misses a fundamental conceptual and measurable distinction between income surveys and consumption surveys. This distinction is critical, as an income-based Gini index is typically higher — reflecting greater inequality — whereas a consumption-based Gini is lower, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where such surveys are more common. Beyond these methodological issues, normative concerns around how inequality is conceptualised and measured also deserve deeper scrutiny — something the World Bank report fails to elucidate. In addition to the World Bank study, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) National Indicator Framework Progress Report 2025, which tracks India's performance across 17 SDGs using 284 indicators. While this report is a valuable tool for aligning India's metrics with global targets, it primarily emphasises administrative progress and aggregate outcomes — overlooking disparities at the ground level in access, affordability, and inclusion. These dimensions are critical to measuring and understanding relative poverty and inequality. This is where the Access (In)Equality Index (AEI) 2025, developed annually by the Centre for New Economic Studies (CNES), offers a vital complement to the current debate on inequality assessment. Grounded in the context and patterns of economic development in low- and middle-income countries, the AEI draws on official data sources and reorganises indicators through a disaggregated, intersectional lens using the 4A framework: Availability, Affordability, Approachability, and Appropriateness. These are then assessed across five measurable pillars: Access to Basic Amenities, Access to Healthcare, Access to Education, Access to Socio-Economic Security, and Access to Legal Recourse. Take, for example, the Basic Amenities pillar. The AEI correlates with SDG-NIF indicators drawn from SDGs 1, 6, 7, and 11—including SDG 6.1.1 (proportion of households with piped water supply), 6.2.1 (households with improved sanitation/toilet facilities), 7.1.1 (households using clean cooking fuel or electricity), and 11.1.1 (access to affordable, safe housing under schemes like PMAY-U). The SDG-NIF Progress Report 2025 presents some encouraging trends. Piped water coverage, for instance, rose from 21.33% in 2019–20 to 80.22% in 2024–25. Access to clean cooking fuel reportedly exceeded 100% coverage in some years, indicating strong programmatic reach. Similarly, over 97% of schools had separate toilets for girls by 2023–24. However, the AEI ranks states not only on the presence of infrastructure but also on its functionality, usability, and inclusivity. Goa, for instance, scores highest in the Basic Amenities pillar (0.97), while Jharkhand (0.31), Bihar (0.38), and Odisha (0.39) lag significantly behind. Although the SDG-NIF reports progress in bringing water 'within premises,' the AEI shows that only 25% of states have piped water coverage exceeding 50%. This implies that in most states, households still fetch water from outside their homes—a burden that falls disproportionately on women. In healthcare, the AEI aligns with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, referencing indicators like institutional delivery rates (SDG 3.1.2), immunisation coverage (SDG 3.b.1), out-of-pocket expenditure on health (SDG 3.8.2), and the doctor-to-population ratio. Yet, the AEI provides a more nuanced view by disaggregating access by geography and affordability. While Goa (93%) and Tamil Nadu (89.9%) report high levels of adequate antenatal care, Nagaland reports just 20.7%—highlighting critical gaps in maternal healthcare in the Northeast and other hilly regions. In terms of socio-economic security, both the SDG-NIF and AEI engage with indicators from SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities). National-level data shows steady progress: the labour force participation rate (LFPR) among individuals aged 15–59 increased from 61.6% in 2022–23 to 64.3% in 2023–24. Banking outlets per 100,000 population rose from 59.9 in 2015–16 to a peak of 267.5 in 2021–22, before stabilising at 144.3 in 2023–24. ATM expansion has been more modest, growing from 16.5 to 18.5 in the same period. The AEI contextualises these outcomes by exposing disparities in access to employment, financial infrastructure, and income equity. Andhra Pradesh leads in the socio-economic security pillar with a score of 0.70, followed by Goa (0.60), while Bihar (0.18), Assam, and Manipur (around 0.21 each) perform the worst. Notably, all five southern states feature among the top eight performers, whereas many northeastern states consistently rank at the bottom—reflecting the role of policy focus and institutional strength. In education, both SDG-NIF and AEI monitor indicators aligned with SDG 4: Quality Education. While SDG-NIF time-series data shows improvement, the AEI reveals large disparities in actual access and quality. The proportion of secondary and higher secondary schools with internet access increased from 46.3% in 2015–16 to 78.5% in 2023–24. However, AEI data shows that in over half of Indian states, less than 50% of schools have functional computers, and only 25% of states surpass 75% coverage. In terms of digital readiness, only Kerala and Gujarat exceed 60% school-level internet coverage. The Access to Legal Recourse pillar, aligned with SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, assesses the functionality and inclusiveness of judicial systems. The SDG-NIF paints a modest picture: courts per lakh population increased from 1.82 in 2016 to 1.93 in 2024, and judges from 1.33 to 1.55 in the same period — suggesting incremental capacity building. The AEI adds an equity lens by incorporating gender-disaggregated data on representation in legal institutions. Sikkim leads with 33.3% of judges being women — an encouraging sign. By contrast, states such as Bihar, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura report 0% women judges, underscoring persistent gender exclusion. Moreover, the SDG-NIF records that 1.2% of women aged 18–29 reported experiencing sexual violence before the age of 18 (2019–21), a figure likely understated due to underreporting and cultural stigma. The writer is Professor of Economics and Dean, IDEAS, Office of Interdisciplinary Studies; Director, Centre for New Economics Studies, OP Jindal Global University; and currently Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Visiting Research Fellow, University of Oxford. Ankur Singh and Aditi Desai, Research Analysts at CNES, contributed to this column
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Missing the data bus? India must act fast, says top statistician
A senior Indian statistician has called for enhanced data-sharing between institutions and the central government, including access to mobile payments and official records, to boost the accuracy and reliability of key economic indicators . Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar , chairman of the National Statistical Commission , the top advisory body to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, said many organisations, from banks and payment firms to transport services and even government departments such as tax and railways, are hesitant to share data. The reluctance, he noted in an interview reported by Bloomberg, stems from privacy and legal concerns. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Technology Others Finance Public Policy healthcare Management Leadership Data Science Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking Product Management Cybersecurity MCA others Project Management Operations Management Data Analytics Data Science Digital Marketing Degree CXO PGDM MBA Healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks MIT xPRO CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India Starts on undefined Get Details 'But high-level policy decisions need to be taken as to what can be shared,' he said. Talks are currently underway to enable sharing of masked or aggregated data based on area codes, a move Karandikar said could significantly improve data accuracy, although discussions remain in early stages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo As India's economy continues to grow and attract global investor attention, official economic data is under increasing scrutiny. There is a growing demand for more accurate indicators that reflect real conditions on the ground and help policymakers design better-informed strategies to meet the country's evolving needs. Still, data sharing between government departments remains difficult due to administrative gaps, infrastructure limitations, and ongoing concerns about data protection. These challenges make it difficult to strike a balance between transparency and privacy. Live Events To address these issues, the government has recently taken several steps. These include plans to conduct the long-pending population census, publishing monthly labour data, and releasing more frequent surveys to strengthen economic indicators such as inflation and GDP. Karandikar said many developed nations have already created effective systems to internally share relevant data. 'India has not done that fast enough. We need to move in that direction,' he said. The National Statistical Commission has also recommended that the government speed up the release of official statistics. Karandikar believes that wider use of digital tools and greater access to existing data would help reduce delays. 'Unless we change and bring in this information technology infrastructure, we will become obsolete,' he said. He further stressed the need to replace long, annual surveys with shorter, quicker ones to make data collection and processing more efficient. 'The old methodology of data collection, transmitting, compiling and processing has to change,' Karandikar said, noting that the government has already started implementing some of these improvements. With inputs from Bloomberg
