Question : NATIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY ORGANISATION

(a) whether any review has been undertaken of National Sample Survey Organisation;

(b) if so, details of the improvement suggested in the functioning of NSSO; and

(c) if not, steps the Government propose to take in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION, MINISTER OF STATE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS AND PUBLIC GRIEVANCES IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DISINVESTMENT (SHRI ARUN SHOURIE)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) The Government had set up an Expert Committee on 12th September 1998 comprising Professor J. Roy, Professor Emeritus Calcutta and Shri Ramanatha Iyer, Retired Director, Field Operations Division of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) to review the functioning of NSSO. The Committee has submitted its report by the end of March 1999. The main recommendations include;

Undertaking methodological studies, improvement of sampling design, choice of reference period, expanded use of information technology and recommendations of administrative nature for improving the functioning of NSSO.

On the basis of above recommendations, NSSO has undertaken two methodological studies namely;

(1) The Pilot survey on suitability of different reference periods for consumption data (January 2000 to June 2000).

(2) Pilot Survey on Non-Agricultural Enterprises in the Informal Sectors: Manufacturing and Trading (March 2000 to June 2000).

(c) The report of the expert committee is an input for National Statistical Commission set up by the Government in January 2000 for critically examining the deficiencies of the present statistical system with a view to recommending measures for a systematic revamping of the system.