Indian Statistical Institute, a key policymaking player: Mukherjee

Kolkata, Sep 13 (ANI): Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) has a key role to play in policymaking and formatting plan objectives.

Mukherjee, who is also the chairman of the governing council of ISI, said: "ISI has a key role in policymaking and formatting plan objectives. It is a premier institution in its own right and has been doing world-class research."

"We now need the institution to also concentrate on the developmental needs and problems of the country and hence, we have organised this interaction so that the industry and government agencies come forward with specific requirements," he added.

"We need statistical data and analysis for our economic policy formulation and ISI should come forward with this help. We too need to give ISI clearer requisitions and inputs to work on," he said.

Stressing on the need for greater collaboration between research institutes and government departments, he mentioned the National Disaster Management Authority, which has evolved an early warning system and collected data which can be used at the time of policy formulation.

Founded by Professor P.C. Mahalanobis in Kolkata on December 17, 1931, the ISI gained the status of an institution of national importance through an Act of Parliament in 1959.

Headquartered in Kolkata, the ISI also has centres in Delhi and Bangalore. Besides, the institute has offices in several other cities across the country, engaged in projects and consultancy in 'Statistical Quality Control and Operations Research'. (ANI)