National Conference Aims to Bolster India’s Statistical Systems at All Levels

A central theme of the conference is the need for deeper and more institutionalized collaboration between MoSPI and the States/UTs.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), through its National Statistics Office (NSO), is hosting a high-level “Conference of State Government Ministers on Strengthening of Statistical Systems” today at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The event marks a significant step toward fostering greater collaboration between the Centre and State/UT Governments in building a more robust, reliable, and responsive statistical ecosystem across the country.

The conference brings together key stakeholders from across India, including Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Programme Implementation, Rao Inderjit Singh, Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, State Planning Ministers, and senior officers from both State/UT governments and MoSPI. This gathering represents one of the most comprehensive consultations in recent years aimed at aligning statistical priorities and strengthening coordination between the central and state statistical agencies.

Purpose of the Conference

At its core, the conference aims to underscore the critical importance of producing relevant, accurate, and timely statistics not only at the national level but also at the sub-national (state and district) levels. Acknowledging the evolving data needs of a rapidly developing economy, the discussions will center around enhancing data quality, filling data gaps, and developing reliable sub-national estimates for a wide range of socio-economic indicators.

The sessions will emphasize the increasing demand for granular data to inform policy decisions, especially in areas such as poverty alleviation, education, health, infrastructure, employment, inflation, and sustainable development. The development of sub-national GDP, Index of Industrial Production (IIP), Consumer Price Index (CPI), and other core indicators will be key focal points.

Enhancing Centre-State Collaboration

A central theme of the conference is the need for deeper and more institutionalized collaboration between MoSPI and the States/UTs. Participants will explore opportunities for building stronger partnerships through initiatives such as the Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) Scheme, which aims to augment statistical infrastructure and human resource capacity at the state level.

MoSPI is also encouraging greater State/UT participation in National Sample Surveys to facilitate the generation of district-level estimates. These surveys are essential for understanding regional disparities and tailoring development interventions more effectively.

Technical Support and Innovation

The conference also serves as a platform to discuss MoSPI’s ongoing and upcoming innovations to modernize India’s statistical systems. This includes the use of alternative datasets, greater integration of administrative data, and adoption of technology-driven methodologies to improve data collection, processing, and dissemination.

MoSPI is expected to highlight initiatives to offer enhanced technical support to States/UTs, helping them overcome capacity constraints and adopt best practices in statistical development. Sessions will also address how to effectively refine sub-national frameworks for monitoring progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve the implementation and tracking of the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme.

Institutionalizing Regular Dialogue

One of the long-term goals of the conference is to establish a sustained framework for regular dialogue and knowledge-sharing between States/UTs and MoSPI. Such an institutional mechanism will enable a coordinated response to emerging statistical challenges, facilitate innovation, and ensure uniformity and comparability of data across the country.

A Step Toward Data-Driven Governance

This conference marks a pivotal moment in India’s journey toward data-driven governance. With increasing emphasis on evidence-based policymaking, the strengthening of statistical systems is not only timely but essential to support India's aspirations for inclusive and sustainable development.

As participants deliberate on action plans and collaborative strategies, the conference is expected to lay the foundation for a more cohesive, efficient, and future-ready statistical infrastructure, one that empowers governments at all levels to make informed, impactful decisions.