A two day National Review/Workshop on Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) & compilation of CPI will be inaugurated in New Delhi on 6^th March, 2017. It will be inaugurated by Secretary Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, Shri T. C. A. Anant. The SSS programme is being implemented in 16 States currently with an allocation of ₹ 650.43 Crore. Earlier, the Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) scheme was a centrally sponsored scheme, but now it is a Central Sector Sub scheme of Capacity Development Scheme of Ministry, with 100% funding from the Centre.  

In 2014-15, a major revisiting existing was done and as a result, the allocations of the currently implementing States were rationalized and allocations were made to the remaining 19 States/UTs.

The meeting will review the completion of the activities by the old states in which the scheme is already being implemented. They would be required to complete all their activities under the scheme by March, 2017. The states include Gujarat, Rajasthan, Mijoram, Sikkim, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand and Kerela among others. Out of the 19 new states, two States, Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand had signed their MoUs and subsequently funds were transferred. However for the remaining 17 States, finalization of programme and release of funds etc. is still to be completed. All fresh funds are released to States through the Public Finance Management System (PFMS).

To institutionalize, the following have been carried out:

(1)   ISSP unit as the Program Division of MoSPI, GOI has organized a few workshops with the implementing states during 2016-17 to familiarize and provide hands on training to the state DES officials of implementing states.

 (2)   The PFMS unit of the M/o Finance GOI has organized trainings during 2016-17 for member states to familiarize them and to provide hands on training to the state officials for institutionalizing the PFMS.

The meeting will discuss the progress of completion of activities by old States by March, 2017; and details of implementations by the new States.

Central funding for statistical strengthening: workshop to review state implementation progress and enforce completion deadlines for SSS activities. A two-day workshop will review completion of Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) activities by existing implementing States and discuss implementation and fund-release arrangements for newly covered States. The SSS has been converted into a Central Sector Sub scheme under the Ministry's Capacity Development Scheme with full central funding; all fresh funds will be released to States through the Public Finance Management System (PFMS). Institutionalisation measures include ISSP-led workshops for state statistical officials and PFMS trainings by the Ministry of Finance.