Ensure Optimum Use of Funds, Go for Supplementary Demands If Needed: Per Panel to MoSPI

A Parliamentary panel has asked the Statistics Ministry to ensure optimum utilisation of allocated funds and advised it to request supplementary demands, if needed.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, in its Thirty-Fifth Report - 'Demands for Grants (2026-27)' of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, noted the submission of the ministry that the budgetary allocations are not sufficient to meet the requirements of various schemes like the Support for Statistical Strengthening Scheme(SSS), among others.

The panel noted that the ministry has been allocated only ₹4,522.25 crore against its projected Budgetary demand of ₹5,826.11 crore.

The ministry itself has admitted that reduced funding poses risks to the scheme's viability and will have strategic implications, such as the inability to fund front-loaded costs for IT infrastructure (tablets, laptops), mobilise manpower for fieldwork, and conduct training/workshops for field staff and Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) staff in the first two quarters of 2026–27.

The committee further stated that this could lead to a loss of sub-national data granularity and hinder the digital transformation of statistical systems.

It has also been informed that the projected budgetary demand was higher due to the revamp and redesign of the Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) Scheme, activities like training and awareness creation for the upcoming 8th Economic Census, the conduct of multiple surveys, including Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), Household Income Surveys, CMS modules, and All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS), among others.

It was observed that the increased projected outlay was also required to support Digital Transformation initiatives, the Data Innovation (DI) Lab initiative, and other miscellaneous expenditures.

Considering the importance of diverse programmes, the committee recommend that the ministry proceed with its planned initiatives as per the projected trajectory and ensure optimal utilisation of the currently allocated funds.

If further financial requirements emerge to meet the physical targets, the ministry may seek additional funds through Supplementary Demands for Grants, it stated.

The committee, considering the pivotal role of data in policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and research, have recommended that the ministry may explore the development and operationalisation of an integrated digital dashboard that consolidates key sectoral data from various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

Such a platform should aim to provide authentic, verified and periodically updated standardised data in a user-friendly format accessible to all, it stated.

The panel noted that discussions have begun between the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and the Ministry of Women and Child Development to conduct a National Child Survey under the Mission Vatsalya.

It has urged the ministry to expedite the National Child Survey and develop a child well-being statistical dashboard and National Child Index to monitor the condition of children across districts and states, and has suggested a tie-up with state governments to engage panchayats and municipal bodies to facilitate localised data collection.

The panel noted challenges in the digital portal of the MPLAD Scheme and discrepancies in figures of expenditure reporting.

The committee have recommended improving the portal for real-time project tracking and simplifying the onboarding and replacement of implementing agencies to ensure effective implementation of the scheme.

The committee, with regard to Infrastructure and Project Monitoring (IPMD), have recommended that the ministry systematically leverage its monitoring data to operationalise a structured escalation matrix.

Rather than a static threshold, this matrix should be calibrated on a dynamic basis.

Ministries and departments whose project delay rate either exceeds 50% within a financial year and shows no year-on-year improvement or whose delay rate deteriorates significantly relative to the previous year, may be flagged by MoSPI to the Cabinet Secretariat/PMO for review under apex forums such as PRAGATI, it stated