- Central government has decided to merge the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- The order states that the proposed National Statistical Office (NSO) would be headed by Secretary of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
- However,the order skips any mention of National Statistical Commission (NSC) which has been overseeing body for all the statistical work done in the country.It also does not equate the Secretary (S&PI) with the Chief Statistician of India as was done in the earlier resolution notified by MoSPI in 2005.
- The objective of restructuring is to streamline and strengthen the present nodal functions of the ministry and to bring in more synergy by integrating its administrative functions within the ministry.
- There is a concern that with the merger of NSSO and CSO, the autonomy of NSSO will go away and the NSC’s control over NSSO will not be there.
- The National Statistical Commission (NSC) of India is an autonomous body which formed in July 2005.The objective of its commission is to reduce the problems faced by statistical agencies in the country in relation to collection of data.
Govt clears restructuring of statistical system, proposes NSSO, CSO merger
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