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Synergy between statisticians and planners is vital for economic growth, observed the Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation, Shri Oscar Fernandes here today, while releasing the results of the 58th round of the National Sample Survey as well as inaugurating a seminar on the outcome. The Minister said that if the data does not help in improving the living conditions of the common people, then the whole exercise may not have much meaning. The data from the Sample Surveys must be put to optimal use in framing polices and programmes, which in the ultimate analysis must result in raising the standards of living of the people. He said, further surveys under progress will provide latest data for taking new initiatives and modified decisions.
Referring to the large scale surveys on consumer expenditure, conducted every five years, by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), the Minister said that this reflects the living standard of the people and the Planning Commission uses the data for the estimation of the number of people living below the poverty line. In the 58th Round the data on consumer expenditure collected from a relatively small sample of house holds, as part of the annual exercise though may not be directly used for poverty estimation but would be helpful in a variety of cases. Housing condition and urban slums which formed important segment of the 58th Round, will help the government in taking various welfare measures for improving the conditions of people in the target group. The other areas covered in the 58th Round included disability, employment and unemployment and facilities in villages. The data available particularly on disability will go a long way in reducing the number of the handicapped. Contd Collection of data on disability was taken up at the request of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The Ministry was in urgent need of data on the subject for evolving strategies and interventions, in the Tenth Plan period. The data requirement was not only the number but also the socio-economic characteristics of the disabled such as their age-structure, literacy level, vocational training, employment, causative factors, age at the onset of disability and so on. For the first time in this round, information on the mentally disabled persons was also collected at the request of the Ministry of Social Justice.
Shri Oscar Fernandes also disclosed that the National Sample Survey today covers, a “sample size” of about 14000 to 16000 villages and urban blocks in the Central Sample at the all India level for a round of one year duration. Besides the Central Sample, there is a somewhat matching “state sample”, which is used by most of the states and union territories. From a small beginning in 1950 covering 1833 villages for the entire country, it has now grown ten times.
The Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Shri Hari Narayan said, that significant changes have taken place in policy making, with the availability of data on a large scale and on a variety of subjects. He said a survey on Warehousing facilities available in the country is currently being added. He felt that data should not remain in the domain of policy planners and researchers, but should become a matter of common knowledge. He urged the NSSO to concentrate on areas of Communication and said that to get more visibility data should be made available in the regional languages and the children and students should have easy access to them.
Over 150 delegates from various Central Departments, Research Institutions and Government Agencies are taking part in the Seminar to see how best the results could be put to use and further improved. The NSSO has so far completed 60 rounds and brought out 488 reports.
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