Citing the example of HCES and PLFS, Saurabh Garg said many of these surveys are conducted annually and the ministry is examining which of these surveys can be conducted quarterly or monthly.
 "Governments using technology to shorten the gap between research and policy development")
More such data users conferences are planned for the future. (Illustration by Ajay Mohanty) Press Trust of India New Delhi
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation will continue to focus on techniques to reduce the time lag between surveys to enable evidence-based policy making and increase the frequency of such periodic surveys, the official said.
“Leveraging technology is something that will continue to be our focus as we move forward. The objective is to enable us to reduce the time period between surveys,” Statistical Secretary Saurabh Garg said at the Data Users Conference on Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23.
Citing HCES, PLFS (Periodic Labour Force Survey) as examples, he said many of these surveys are conducted annually and the ministry is examining which of these surveys can be conducted quarterly or monthly.
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Later, Garg told reporters that the ministry was considering making the PLFS a monthly survey. Currently, the PLFS is released quarterly and annually.
Considering the importance of having labour force data available at more frequent intervals, the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) launched the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in April 2017.
The primary objective of the PLFS is to estimate key employment and unemployment indicators (i.e., labor force population ratio, labor force participation rate, and unemployment rate) in urban areas over a short period of three months.
Garg also said it is important that data is available to all decision makers at the right time to make more informed decisions.
“We are also looking at how we can create a data innovation hub with innovative mechanisms. How can we create a sandbox where people can play with data,” he said.
He also said that MOSPI uses tablets to conduct computer-assisted personal interviews, so pen-and-paper surveys are no longer used.
These tablets can upload data directly from the field, reducing the time delay between surveys and results becoming available.
He assured that more such data users conferences would be held in the coming days.
“Our aim is to hold such (data users conferences) not only in Delhi but across the country so that citizens can fully understand the data and statistics generated by MOSPI,” he said.
Earlier, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) Vivek Debroy lauded MOSPI's efforts in revamping its image by organising the data users conference, saying MOSPI was once known as the Ministry of Status Quo and Perineal Disorders.
