16th FC Chair Panagariya calls for permanent data portal for continuity

He said that each finance commission has to start the work on data afresh and a data portal will resolve that issue and bring continuity

There should be a data portal for data collected by the finance commission, said Arvind Panagariya, chairman, 16th Finance Commission (FC), at an event organised by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (Mospi) on Saturday.

“On the occasion of Statistics Day, I would begin by highlighting that someone needs to take the lead to create a data portal for the finance commission on a permanent basis, so that its work can be smoothened out in the future,” said Panagariya on the occasion of National Statistics Day.

Panagariya said that each finance commission has to start the work on data afresh and a data portal will resolve that issue and bring continuity.

 

The 16th FC was constituted last year in December, with member appointments taking place earlier this year in January.

Also speaking at the event, National Statistical Commission Chairman RL Karandikar said that the government should bring all stakeholders like NITI Aayog, Mospi, and data users together to improve data collection and dissemination and should create an expert group to look at the matter.

“The government should create an expert group to coordinate and resolve issues of data collection and coordination across ministries,” Karandikar said.

Besides, the Mospi secretary, Saurabh Garg, said that the government is looking at systemic improvements on the timely publication of data and the deployment of IT tools.

“Surveys have been increasing in number and diversity. On a regular basis, we are looking at systemic improvements on timely publication of data or deployment of IT tools,” Garg noted, highlighting recently conducted surveys like AYUSH.

Earlier this month, the ministry launched a survey report gauging the impact of traditional systems of medicine across the country. It had also released the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Enterprises.

“The focus of the ministry going forward is to make people aware of the data and make better use of data analytics and tools for better decision-making,” Garg noted.

The ministry also launched the e-sankhyiki portal, a central data repository, on Saturday, and the Sustainable Development Goals National Indicator Framework report on the occasion.