The Department of Posts (DoP) today said it has signed an agreement with the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) for collection of data on prices of consumer commodities in selected villages.
The CSO will use the postal network for collection of the data, which will be used for compilation of Consumer Price Index (CPI) for rural areas, the DoP said in a statement.
The DoP, using its infrastructure and manpower, will first conduct a one-time survey and identify shops and outlets in selected villages from where data on prices of selected consumer commodities would be collected.
The data will be submitted to the CSO for finalisation of items, specifications and identification of popular outlets patronised by the population in selected villages, it said.
The DoP would collect the prices of consumer commodities according to the items specified by the CSO every month from these selected sources, it added.
Within two days of collecting the data, it would be uploaded to a web-based reporting tool developed by NIC every month and the CSO would scrutinise and validate the data received.
The one-year agreement is renewable on mutually agreed terms and conditions and the training of the personnel involved in conducting the survey will start soon, it said.
A group headed by the Additional Director General (National Accounts Division) will be constituted with the members from the DoP and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
This group would be responsible for monitoring the quality, timelines of the regular price data, procedures to be followed in collection of price data and other related issues.
