Govt clears Rs 650-cr project to improve statistical system

The government today approved a Rs 650-crore project to upgrade the statistical system in the country with assistance from the World Bank.

The Indian Statistical Strengthening Project (ISSP), which is aimed at improving the statistical systems of the states and the Centre, was approved at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"The project has been cleared for a total budget of Rs 650.43 crore, of which 80 per cent would be funded through a World Bank loan, and the remaining 20 per cent would be borne by the central government," Home Minister P Chidambaram told the reporters after the CCEA meeting.

The ISSP, he added, would "strengthen and improve the National Statistical System in all its dimensions in line with the recommendations of the National Statistical Commission."

The states, the Minister said, would be required to provide land, buildings and manpower and meet recurring expenses toward the implementation of the project.

The project will aim at building capacities at the level of states and Union Territories for collection and compilation of data, improving planning and policy making at local level and making reliable data available at the national level.

So far, Chidambaram said, 22 states and UTs have communicated their decision to the Centre to participate in the project, which will be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

Following implementation of the project, each state will be publishing data on web pages which will be linked to the national-web site.

"This will improve the accessibility to data and interface with users", the Minister added.