NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has sought comments and suggestions on the Draft National Statistical Commission (NSC) Bill 2019 to make data collection more transparent and reliable. The move came after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised questions over some part of the methodology to calculate gross domestic product (GDP) numbers in India.
The National Statistical Commission Bill 2019, has been drafted for establishing a statutory National Statistical Commission (NSC) as the nodal and empowered body for all core statistical activities for the country. “The comments/suggestions may be sent preferably by e-mail to nsc-secretariat@nic.in and or by post at the following address, latest by January 19, 2020,” MoSPI said.
IMF had said large revisions to historical series, the relatively short time span of the revised series, and major discrepancies between GDP by activity and GDP by expenditure complicate analysis. The ministry was in controversy over the quality of data starting from the back series data on the base year of 2011-12.
A committee set up by the NSC came out with its recommendations on the back series, which showed double-digit growth in some years of the UPA government. Sensing political reaction, the recommendations were junked by the government after those were put on the public domain. Later, the MoSPI came out with its own back series data on the base year of 2011-12, inviting criticism from many quarters.