Govt needs more data access: NSC chairman Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar

A senior Indian statistician is urging greater data-sharing with the federal government, including access to mobile payments and official records, to improve the accuracy and reliability of key economic indicators. 

Many institutions  — including banks, payments companies, transport providers, and even government departments such as tax and railways — are reluctant to share data with the federal government due to privacy and legal concerns, said Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, chairman of the National Statistical Commission, the top advisory body to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in an interview Wednesday.  

“But high level policy decisions need to be taken as to what can be shared,” he added. Talks are underway to share masked or aggregated data by area codes, which could significantly improve accuracy, though the discussions are still at an early stage, Karandikar said. 

With India’s economy expanding rapidly and global investor interest growing, official figures are facing more scrutiny. Calls are mounting for more accurate economic data that captures the real picture on the ground, helping policymakers tailor policies for the nation’s growing needs.  

Yet, data sharing between key government departments remains a challenge due to gaps in governance, infrastructure, and concerns over data protection, making it tough to find the right balance between information and privacy.  

In recent months, the government has taken several steps to address those concerns, including announcing plans to conduct a population census, regularly releasing surveys to improve economic datasets like inflation and gross domestic product and publishing monthly labor data.  

Karandikar said various developed countries have already figured out how to share relevant data internally. “India has not done that fast enough. We need to move in that direction,” he added. 

The commission has also recommended that the government reduce delays in data releases. Broader adoption of digital tools and better access to existing data would help shorten timelines, Karandikar said. “Unless we change and bring in this information technology infrastructure, we will become obsolete,” he said.  

Karandikar also emphasized the need for more short-term surveys instead of year-long exercises that take too long to process. “The old methodology of data collection, transmitting, compiling and processing has to change,” he said, adding that the government has already begun implementing some of these changes.