National Sample Survey (NSS)

Prelims : Current events of National and International Importance

Why in News?

Recently, 19^th Statistics day was celebrated to commemorate 132^nd Birth Anniversary of Prof. P. C. Mahalanobis with the theme ‘75 Years of National Sample Survey’.

National Statistics Day is celebrated on June 29^th every year in India.

• Established in – 1950, by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
• It was inspired by the vision of P.C. Mahalanobis
• Objectives – To provide reliable, timely, and comparable socio-economic statistics through sample surveys.
• 4 divisions
  • Survey Design and Research Division (SDRD)
  • Field Operations Division (FOD)
  • Data Processing Division (DPD)
  • Survey Coordination Division (SCD)
• Headed by – A Director General, who is responsible for conduct of large scale sample surveys in diverse fields on All India basis.
• Data collection – They are collected through nation-wide household surveys on various socio-economic subjects, Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), etc.
• It also collects data on rural and urban prices.
• Significance – It plays a significant role in the improvement of crop statistics through supervision of the area enumeration and crop estimation surveys of the State agencies. 
• It also maintains a frame of urban area units for use in sample surveys in urban areas.

Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis (1893-1972)

• Contribution – He played a key role in establishing the
  • National Sample Survey
  • Central Statistical Organization
• These institutions continue to shape India's statistical landscape.
• His influence on India's Planning Commission, particularly the 2nd Five-Year Plan (1956-1961), was significant.
• He served as the chairman of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Sampling from 1947 to 1951.
• Recognition - He was known as the "Father of Statistics" in India.

Reference

PIB| 75 Years of National Sample Survey