Statistical system now under PMO lens

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has begun an important stock-taking of India's statistical system in the wake of several controversies related to official surveys and estimates, according to two persons aware of the discussions in the government.

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Some of these controversies were around the reliability of growth estimates, delays in conducting some economic surveys and the census, comprehensiveness of sampling methods, and the gap in the number of covid-19 deaths estimated by India and the World Health Health Organization.

Officials from the statistics and finance ministries are part of the effort led by PMO officials, one of the two persons said. Some discussions have already taken place, and the next meeting is scheduled for the first week of February, said the person on the condition of anonymity.

The initiative is based on a paper titled The State of India's Statistical System prepared by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), which has drawn policymakers' attention to the need for reforms in this area.

"One key question to be addressed is the timing of the reforms," the person said. Policymakers have to decide if a decision on this matter needs to be taken before or after the general elections.

Emails sent to the spokes persons for the PMO, NITI Aayog, finance and statistics ministries as well as the National Statistical Commission (NSC) seeking comments remained unanswered.

EAC-PM chairman Bibek Debroy declined to comment.