Sensitization cum review meeting of Statistical Advisers held on August 14, 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
Sensitization cum review meeting of Statistical Advisers held on August 14, 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) successfully organized the third round of the Sensitization cum Review Meeting of Statistical Advisers (SAs) on August 14, 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
The meeting was organized to broad base the consultation on the current effort of the Ministry to strengthen institutional coordination and create a robust, data-driven decision-making ecosystem across Government. The inaugural session was graced by Shri Adil Zainulbhai, Ex-Chairman, Capacity Building Commission; Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog; Shri S Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY; Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor; Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI and Dr. Praveen Shukla, Additional Director General, MoSPI. The meeting was attended by Statistical Advisers and representatives from various Central Ministries/Departments as well as senior officers of MoSPI. Dr. Praveen Shukla, Additional Director General, MoSPI welcomed the participants.
The Chief Guest, Shri Adil Zainulbhai, Ex-Chairman, Capacity Building Commission, in his keynote address, appreciated MoSPI’s sensitization-cum-review workshops for fostering data-driven decision-making by promoting modern statistical techniques, adherence to international standards, and strengthened inter-ministerial coordination. He emphasised the need of upgrading our data system so that it becomes gold standard in the World. He noted that initiatives such as the National Metadata Structure, the series of Hackathons, and the e-Sankhyiki portal are significantly enhancing data accessibility and quality, empowering statistics to not only measure but also shape India’s growth story with accuracy, integrity, and innovation.
He underscored the need of transitioning for paperless NSS, to become online, digital and real time. He also suggested for digitization of statistics in all respect and encourage use of AI for all level of statistical officers. He highlighted the pivotal role of Statistical Advisers as custodians of data integrity, essential for harmonizing traditional and emerging data sources, embracing technology-driven solutions, and ensuring statistics that are credible, timely, and unbiased.
Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, acknowledged the foundational data provided by MoSPI, which offers a real-time snapshot of the national landscape. He highlighted the need for fully integrated data systems that can be leveraged for purposes such as trade policy negotiations. He commended MoSPI’s new initiative of releasing PLFS data on a monthly basis, noting its immense value for micro-level policy formulation and decision-making. Addressing the gathering, he advocated for the regular release of economic indicators on a monthly or quarterly basis and encouraged the adoption of advanced technologies like machine learning and AI to enhance data use.
He stressed the importance of high-quality data for evidence-based policymaking and underscored the critical role of Statistical Advisers (SAs) in this process. He proposed establishing a system for SAs to share updates on their respective Ministries’ initiatives with MoSPI on a monthly basis. Additionally, he recommended that MoSPI develop and provide analytical tools to help Ministries effectively utilize their own data.
Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, in his address, highlighted the crucial role of data in applications such as adaptation, AI-driven analysis, machine learning, cloud-based data lakes, and secure APIs, serving purposes like operational research, innovation, and development tracking.
While informing the close coordination between MoSPI and MietY, he stressed on the need for greater integration and interoperability of datasets through enhanced collaboration among ministries and departments. Commending MoSPI’s strong data collection systems that protect individual privacy, he noted that achieving the right balance between data availability and privacy continues to be a major challenge in today’s data-driven economy.
Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, CEA to the Government of India, commended the meeting’s theme, highlighting its focus on effective coordination for the improvement of data systems. He lauded MoSPI’s active participation in several prestigious international organizations, which has enhanced India’s recognition at global level. He emphasized that data produced by the statistical system has historically been the foundation of policymaking in India and continues to be indispensable. At the same time, he underscored the need to generate data in a timely manner while upholding its credibility and ensuring it is accessible and user-friendly. He encouraged Statistical Advisers from various ministries to contribute valuable insights and explore data sources beyond the government system. He also advocated for a proactive approach to delivering reliable, timely, and user-centric data.
Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, set the context for the day’s discussions by outlining the MoSPI’s initiatives aimed at modernisation and strengthening the National Statistical System.
He further emphasized that Statistical Advisers are not merely custodians of data, but active partners in evidence-based governance. He highlighted MoSPI’s progress on the e-Sankhyiki portal a unified platform for official datasets with plans to integrate key datasets from multiple Ministries by 2025–26 to improve accessibility and interoperability. He also emphasised the role of high-quality, timely, and credible data in evidence-based policymaking, especially in the context of Viksit Bharat 2047. He stressed the need for innovation, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative efforts to steer India’s development journey.
The technical sessions featured thematic presentations by MoSPI representatives on Data Standardization and Harmonization, Strengthening SDG Monitoring, Meeting Data Requirements for National Accounts, Enhancing Industrial Statistics, and Advancing Infrastructure Monitoring and Performance Assessment. The discussions centered on improving data quality, bridging administrative data gaps, strengthening metadata management, harnessing emerging technologies (AI, ML, Big Data), and reinforcing data-sharing frameworks across government entities.
During the wrap-up session, Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI; Ms. Geeta Singh Rathore, Director General (NSS), MoSPI and Shri P. R. Meshram, Director General (DG), MoSPI addressed the participants. The session concluded with Q&A segments to solicit feedback, underscoring MoSPI’s commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders in developing a modern, robust, and innovative national statistical system.