The National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is organizing a “Conference of State Government Ministers on Strengthening of Statistical Systems” on 5^th April, 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.    

The main objective of the conference is to highlight the importance of producing relevant, accurate, and timely statistics at both the national and sub-national levels, with a particular emphasis on the need for sub-national estimates for various socio-economic indicators. The discussion will also focus on emphasizing the key areas where deeper collaboration and partnership between the Centre and the States are not only desirable but crucial for strengthening both national and state statistical systems.  The conference aims to gain a thorough understanding of the specific needs and requirements of the States/Union Territories (UTs) to improve their statistical systems, as well as to ascertain their expectations.

The Conference will serve as a platform for establishing a regular and sustained framework to strengthen statistical collaboration between States/UTs and MoSPI across a range of critical areas.  These inter-alia, include the implementation of the Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) Scheme in States/UTs, the participation of States/UTs in National Sample Surveys to generate district-level estimates, the compilation of GDP, IIP, and CPI at the sub-national level, as well as some of the innovation initiatives of MoSPI to address the challenges in generating official statistics, technical support to States/UTs in development, greater use of administrative statistics and alternative datasets, refinement of sub-national level monitoring frameworks for SDGs and implementation of MPLAD Scheme.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation Rao Inderjit Singh, Chief Minister/Dy. Chief Minister/State Government Ministers of Planning & Senior Officers from States/UT Governments, Officers from MoSPI and other distinguished officials are expected to participate in the meeting.

Strengthening statistical systems: conference urges Centre-State collaboration for sub national estimates, SSS scheme and technical support. Strengthening statistical systems at national and sub national levels is the conference's core objective, prioritising the production of sub national estimates, a sustained Centre-State collaboration framework, technical support to States/UTs, use of administrative and alternative datasets, and refinement of sub national SDG monitoring. Operational focus includes implementation of the Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) Scheme, State participation in national sample surveys for district level estimates, and methodologies for compiling GDP, IIP and CPI at sub national levels.