Statistics is a science that pertains to the collection, analysis, interpretation or explanation, and presentation of data. In applying statistics to a scientific, industrial, or social problem, it is conventional to begin with population to be studied. Populations can have diverse topics. Statistics deals with all aspects of data including the planning of data collection in terms of surveys and census. A census collects information about every member of the population that is complete enumeration. On other side survey is a data collection activity involving a sample of the population. It might say a census is a 100 percent sample survey. When census data cannot be collected, statisticians collect data by developing specific survey termed as Sampling Surveys. The representative sampling assures that inferences and conclusions can reasonably extend from the sample to the population as a whole.
There is strong setup and procedure of conducting data through surveys in our nation including, Jammu and Kashmir in which the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), which came into existence in 1950 with the objective of conducting large-scale surveys to provide data for national income estimation which is required for planning and policy formation. NSO has since then grown into one of the largest organisations of its kind and has expanded its activities in several directions. The NSSO carries out annual rounds of multi-purpose socio-economic surveys, undertakes field work for the Annual Survey of Industries, follows-up surveys of the Economic Census, sample checks on area enumeration and crop estimation surveys and prepares the urban frames useful in drawing of urban samples, besides collection of price data from rural and urban sectors. The major activities of the NSSO pertain to survey design, field operations, processing of data collected and releasing of results based on the sample surveys.
The processes of collecting data through survey and census depend upon the quality of data and response from primary unit. The quality and response is an important challenge in collection of data. It is to mention here that all activities involved in collection of data through surveys and censes is directly dependent on the respondents or from secondary sources for the production of statistics particularly official and administrative statistics. There are a lot of difficulties in collection of data through surveys which lead to the errors and ultimately effect the quality of the data.
So far as our state of Jammu and Kashmir is concerned the difficulties in the collection of differ with respect to situations. These difficulties are of different types in rural and urban areas of different regions of Jammu and Kashmir. The major difficulties in collecting data in the rural areas of Jammu Kashmir is due to illiteracy, cultural constraints and language, large informal economy, low standards of response, heterogeneity of society and low living conditions. On the other side the difficulties of collecting data in urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir are cultural constraints, high consumption pattern, large informal economy, in ability of civil society, low standard of book keeping of establishments and enterprises and low propensity of respondents. As an officer of Indian Statistical Service(ISS) and regional head of NSSO Regional office Srinagar has seen in the field during inspection and supervision programmes and had observed above mentioned problems in various place which is in reality in our state Jammu and Kashmir. The people are not aware about the surveys and the implication on day-to-day life. I as a statistician say that there are not any problems to provide any statistical information to authentic data collectors. The data is only for the betterment of wellbeing and future planning and policies matters. The biggest and foremost difficulty in Jammu and Kashmir is law and order problems such as low support from local government, local institute set of society and limited option for secondary sources. The climate of Jammu and Kashmir is also a big hurdle collection of statistics.
The National Sample Survey has a strong setup all over India including Jammu and Kashmir to collect the data on various matters through the strong administrative setup at national level. The decentralized system of collection of statistics through the administrative set up for collection of data by departmental agencies does not involve special costs. The collection is oriented to definite purposes, and the record and verification of information is part of administration. Departmental agencies and officials have not only good knowledge of the subject, but also of local language and local conditions, especially in rural areas. Information collected is relevant and direct, and is handled by agencies that have special knowledge of the subject. Finally, there is an identifiable purpose in their data collection and they are in the best position to interpret the data. All this has lent a solid foundation to the decentralized administrative statistical system, and in turn, to the Indian Statistical System.
It is a difficult, if not impossible, task for a single centralized organisation to cater to all information needs of the country. Therefore, under the Indian set-up, the decentralized system of data collection seems a better option than a centralized system. At the same time, it is highly desirable that the information provided by various agencies conforms to some specified norms. For this, there should be more focus on the coordination role of National Statistics Organization (NSO) to make the data collected by different agencies on uniform concepts and definitions. The success of the NSO in its role as a coordinator depends, on one hand, upon the degree of its initiative and ability to persuade, and on the other hand, on the cooperation of the ministries, and their willingness to participate in this process as a team and to be persuaded to accept the conclusions of the team about their statistical work.
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) – A leading government setup under the Union Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has been conducting large scale sample surveys called National Sample Survey, since its inception in 1950 covering various aspects of Indian population and economy. These surveys play an important role for research, development and planning and policy formation. There surveys are also important for all of us at every level of betterment and well being.
Due to the transformation, liberalisation and globalization of economic activities, the existing activity scenario is rapidly changing such that new areas of study and their contribution to GDP. There are major changes in collection of statistics with the help of latest technology. The technology helps to improve the quality of data and reduce the errors to some extent. It is suggested to all responsible citizens of Jammu and Kashmir to come forward and provide reliable data to our human resource as and when they approach you on survey matters. These surveys are most important for planning and policy formation. We in Jammu and Kashmir have better education, valuable and old culture constraints, informal economy, well standard of living conditions and institutional setup society, why not we provide data to the authentic agency for building the state of Jammu and Kashmir. As population statistics is an important toll to determine the life and well being of the society.
The data users make use of data, statistics is concerned with the use of data in the context of uncertainty and decision making. It is advised to all concerned to have regular interaction with the data-collecting agencies and the data users regarding the usefulness and demand of data and also on the periodicity or time intervals at which the survey data on different subjects are required.
Author is Regional Director of Field Operations Division, NSSO, Srinagar