National Statistical Commission (NSC) constituted ‘Committee on Price Statistics’ under the Chairmanship of Dr. Sudipto Mundle in July 2010. The term of reference of the Committee interalia included Integration of data collection machinery. The Committee submitted report on 13th April 2011. The Committee noted that integration of data collection mechanism for all the price indices is desirable for rationalization and consistency of data flow; coordinated and timely revision of the price indices and optimum utilization of manpower for price data collection. Accordingly, the Committee made following recommendations:

(i) Price data collection for CPI-Rural and CPI-Agricultural Labourers /Rural Labourers should be integrated. Suitable technical proposals for adjustment of the data set and sample size should be prepared by the Technical Advisory Committee on Statistics of Prices and Cost of Living (TAC on SPCL).

(ii) The Committee feels that integration of price collection mechanism for all price indices should be accomplished by entrusting the task to a single agency, namely, Field Operation Division (FOD) of National sample Survey Office (NSSO).

(iii) Technical bottlenecks in integrating the datasets for CPI-Urban and CPI-Industrial Workers should be resolved by Prices Unit of National Accounts Division, Central Statistics Office (CSO) in consultation with Labour Bureau. Changes in price collection scheme including, inter alia, the number of markets, centres, items, brands/specifications etc. may be submitted to the TAC on SPCL for approval.

This information was given by Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation Shri D.V. Sadananda Gowda in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

Integration of price data collection consolidates index compilation under a single field agency with mandated technical approvals. The Committee recommended integration of price collection mechanism to rationalize data flow and consolidate administration, proposing integration of CPI Rural and CPI Agricultural/Rural Labourers data through TAC on SPCL-prepared technical adjustments, and assigning overall responsibility for integrating all price indices to the Field Operations Division of the National Sample Survey Office. It directed the Prices Unit of the National Accounts Division, in consultation with the Labour Bureau, to resolve technical bottlenecks for CPI Urban and CPI Industrial Workers and required TAC on SPCL approval for changes to the price collection design.