Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra on Tuesday emphasised the need for a robust and modern statistical system to support evidence-based policymaking, improve governance and achieve India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural session of the Conference of State Planning, Finance and IT Secretaries, organised by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in New Delhi, Mishra highlighted the importance of credible statistics, data harmonisation and technology-driven governance.
He said statistics, data, technology, planning and governance were increasingly interconnected and played a crucial role in India’s development journey.
A strong statistical framework, he noted, would enable governments to monitor development across states and districts, evaluate policy outcomes, identify gaps and ensure effective utilisation of public resources.
“What cannot be measured cannot be managed effectively. And what cannot be managed effectively cannot be transformed sustainably,” Mishra said.
Highlighting the need to modernise economic measurement, he said India’s statistical systems must evolve in line with an economy that is becoming increasingly digital, formalised and interconnected.
He cited the introduction of the new National Accounts Series, with 2022-23 as the base year, along with updated Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Index of Industrial Production (IIP) series, as important steps towards aligning statistical methodologies with changing economic realities.
Underscoring the role of state statistical systems, Mishra said India’s development trajectory was closely linked to the performance of its states, where policies are implemented, economic activities take place and citizens experience development outcomes.
He called for strengthening institutional capacity and improving coordination between the Centre and states to enhance the quality and reliability of official statistics.
Mishra also highlighted the potential of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, geospatial systems, satellite imagery and advanced analytics, to improve the timeliness, accuracy and effectiveness of statistical data.
However, he cautioned that the adoption of technology must be accompanied by safeguards to ensure statistical quality, transparency, privacy, security and accountability.
“Speed cannot come at the cost of accuracy. Greater use of data cannot come at the cost of confidentiality,” he said.
Describing statistics as an important instrument of cooperative federalism, Mishra said reliable data could help the Centre and states compare development outcomes, identify best practices and learn from regional experiences.
He stressed that national averages alone would not be sufficient to assess India’s progress towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
More detailed data at the state, district and local levels would be essential to identify development disparities, formulate targeted interventions and monitor their effectiveness, he added.
Mishra called for a coordinated national effort involving MoSPI, State Statistical Offices, Finance, Planning and IT Departments, NITI Aayog, academic institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen the country’s statistical ecosystem.
He said India needed a statistical architecture that was trusted, transparent, technology-enabled, interoperable and relevant to policymaking.
Such a system would not only measure India’s development progress but also help guide and accelerate its transformation towards the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, he added.
-PIB
