More than 200 scholars ask govt to release Consumer Expenditure Survey data

A group of 214 scholars, largely economists, working around the world have written an open letter asking the Centre to release all reports and data from the National Sample Survey Office that have been internally approved.

The statement comes in light of the Modi government recently saying that it will not be releasing the Survey of Consumer Expenditure, 2017-18 because of “data quality” issues. A leaked version of the report shows that it paints a rather unflattering picture of India’s economy, which the government may not want to have in the public domain.

The leaked National Statistical Office (NSO) survey, titled ‘Key