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.
.jpg)