Economic census: Parliamentary panel questions ministry over delay in results

  • July 28, 2023
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Economic census: Parliamentary panel questions ministry over delay in results

Subject: Economy

Section: National Income

In News: Parliamentary panel questions the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) over the delay in the release of the  7th economic census results.

Key Points:

  • The seventh economic census was launched in 2019 and completed in March 2021. The seventh economic census results are yet to be finalised as approval of provisional results is yet to be obtained from various state-level coordination committees.
  • Parliamentary panel report notes that only 13 states and Union Territories have communicated their approval for provisional results so far.
  • It is indicative of a lack of progress in obtaining approvals from the State Level Coordination Committees.
  • The Standing Committee on Finance pointed out that MoSPI’s response on the seventh economic census is not proactive in addressing delays.
  • The response of the government also does not provide clear information on how it plans to implement these recommendations.
  • Further the committee has asked the ministry to accelerate data collection, foster close collaboration with states and ensure timely approval of the provisional results by the state-level coordination committees.
7th Economic Census

  • An economic census provides an updated sampling framework for follow-up enterprise surveys undertaken for detailed analysis of all establishments in the country and covers all establishments including household enterprises, engaged in production or distribution of goods/services (other than the purpose of own consumption) in non-farm agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.
  • For the seventh economic census, MoSPI had partnered with CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as the implementing agency.
  • The Economic Census was conducted in all the States/UTs. All economic activities (agricultural and non‐agricultural), except those involved in crop production and plantation, public administration, defense and compulsory social security, related to production and/or distribution of goods and/or services other than for the sole purpose of own consumption were covered.
  • The First Economic Census was conducted throughout the country during 1977. The subsequent Censuses were conducted in the years 1980, 1990, 1998, 2005. The 6th census was conducted in 2013. These Censuses were conducted in collaboration with the States/ UTs.
  • The Government had appointed a Task Force on Improving Employment Data in May, 2017, under the Chairpersonship of Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog to suggest ways and means of improving employment data.
  • The Task Force made various recommendations in its report submitted in August, 2017, including that the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation may undertake the Economic Census every 3 years, beginning with the 7th Economic Census so that more frequent information on the various economic characteristics of establishments are available and could be compared with the existing databases in the GSTN, EPFO, MCA etc.
  • Objective of the 7th census was to:
    • Develop nation‐wide Business Register as per international practices adopted by developing countries and in line with UNSD recommendations.
    • List of all establishments, tagged by geographical location up to village/ward level for local level planning purposes.
  • Till the 6th economic census, each state’s directorate of economics and statistics (DES) had a major role in the selection, training and supervision of enumerators. For the latest census, Mospi signed a MoU with the information technology ministry to employ staff from Common Service Centres (CSC) spread across the country, reducing the role of state-level DES officials.

Business Registers

  • The 13 th Finance Commission recommended development of Business Registers at District level so that it can be used for estimating District Domestic Product. The Business Register developed by few of the States/ UTs with the funds provided by the 13 th Finance Commission is primarily an accumulation of establishments registered under the following Acts and registering authorities:
    • (i) Companies Act, 1956
    • (ii) Factories Act, 1948
    • (iii) Shops and Commercial Establishments Act
    • (iv) Societies Registration Act
    • (v) Cooperative Societies Act
    • (vi) Khadi and Village Industries Board
    • (vii) Directorate of Industries (District Industries Centre)
  •  The States/ UTs were advised to produce a 16‐digit location code (BRN) for a business establishment in the register with the help of Census codes.

CSC e-Governance Services India Limited

  • CSC e- Governance Service India Limited is a Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC SPV) incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ( MeitY), Government of India, to monitor the implementation of Common Services Centers Scheme (CSCs).
  • Common Services Centers (CSCs) are a strategic cornerstone of the Digital India programme. They are the access points for delivery of various digital services to villages in India, thereby contributing to a digitally and financially inclusive society.
  • CSCs are more than service delivery points in rural India. They are positioned as change agents, promoting rural entrepreneurship and building rural capacities and livelihoods. They are enablers of community participation and collective action for engendering social change through a bottom-up approach with key focus on the rural citizen.
Economic census: Parliamentary panel questions ministry over delay in results economy