National Statistical Commission to be set up soon: Vasan

New Delhi, June 29 (UNI) The Government will set up the National Statistical Commission soon to help in laying down national quality standards on statistics, developing strategies for human resource development and evolving national policies and priorities relating to the Indian statistical system.

This was announced by Statistics and Programme Implementation Minister G K Vasan at a function marking the 113th birth anniversary of Prof P C Mahalanobis, one of the architects of Indian planning and a legendary statistician.

In his address, the Minister called for closer cooperation of the private sector in further strengthening the statistical system in the country, which was at the heart of national development strategy.

Presenting the Prof P V Sukhatme National Award in Statistics for 2005-06 jointly to eminent statisticians Manindra Nath Das and Professor Nikhilesh Bhattacharya, he said the need to have more credible statistics has gained ground with modernisation and mechanisation.

Mr Vasan said the efforts of the Indian statisticians have enabled the official statistical system to meet the data needs of policy makers, planners, economists, researchers and academicians.

The official statistical system has to become an instrument for development of society, he said adding that sectors like agriculture, health and tourism require a high degree of data. Data based policy decisions relating to almost all fields of society were gaining momentum. To meet the increasing dependence on statistics, the Indian Statistical system had to absorb latest technological advancements and make fuller use of information technology.

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